When Worlds Collide
by butterfly collective
Summary: Takes place late 1990s in PC as Derek Wells meets up with someone from his past but will he remember her?
1. Chapter 1

The champagne bottles hadn't been opened yet and the hors d'oeuvres no doubt were in their final stages of preparation for the gala that would follow the award ceremony. The hundreds of guests invited including some of the most influential and wealthiest residents of Port Charles would be arriving many in limousines and all valet parked at the Regency Hotel, one of the classiest in this industrious town.

The sound system was still being set up and the emcee researching his lines while being made up by a couple of fussy artists lingering around him. There would be 10 award recipients this year representing different fields and industries from art and entertainment, to business and commerce, to sports. It would be one of the hottest attended events of the year where bullet proof vests weren't required.

But it wouldn't get started until the awardees showed up at the front door along with the presenters and the media. One such media mogul planned to be in attendance covering the gala for his syndicate of publications and internet news sites.

Derek Wells had been trying to finish up last minute paperwork on the 15th floor of his office after having flown in from a business trip in the Far East. Jet lagged and tired, he had really wanted to drive home to his spread just outside of town instead of attending an award ceremony where they would serve overcooked food, watered down liquor and pulling at his bow tie on his tux the whole time.

He didn't have another reporter to cover the event. Crystal, from the entertainment beat had to cancel out because she had left to catch a plane to L.A. to read for a bit part in an action thriller, well actually she had left the job. A note written on his desk had informed him that she needed a career where she felt more artistically fulfilled, closer to the subjects she wrote about for the newspaper. You see, as a budding actress she needed to be seen at the right events and photographed just when she had shown up wearing the perfect dress, her hair styled just right and lip gloss freshly applied.

Frankly he had felt he had been dating a Barbie doll that walked and talked and did…a few other things very well. And running through his Rolodex in the eleventh hour before the ceremony didn't yield him much luck…which meant…he'd be on his own perfectly fine with him.

Still that had left him shorthanded so he had to dust off the much hated tux and spent the afternoon brushing up on the dossiers of the award recipients from different career fields.

One of which naturally attracted his attention right away.

* * *

><p>"Hey Alexis…"<p>

She stuck her head cautiously in her office, smiling because she was glad to see him but a bit wary because when he used that tone…that cajoled even as it flattered…she knew to be on her toes, ready to be firm and just tell him no.

"What's up Jax?"

He smiled back at her, sitting comfortably in her space.

"Oh come on Alexis, neither of us have dates to this shindig…and we're both getting free dinner and drinks with the awards. Heard the entertainment's top notch too…"

She took one step closer and folded her arms.

"I'm not sure I'm going yet. I might stay home and reorganize my pantry."

He chuckled, and she knew why. They'd been married to each other after all.

"Alexis…you don't cook," he said, "we lived on takeout and microwave popcorn."

She nodded.

"Not that I minded…the fringe benefits…"

She put her hand up.

"Okay…but you know how I feel about events like this one. I'd just rather spend a quiet evening.

He paused to think about that…and he had to choose his words carefully because of the favor he had to ask.

"Well I feel the same way…but since we're both in the same boat here…we could travel together."

A self-depreciating laugh slipped from her lips.

"Or go down with it…"

Jax laughed.

"Oh come on Alexis…it's really not going to be that bad…"

She sighed, reaching for her iced tea.

"My favorite ex…"

"You're only ex…unless you're hiding another one."

She pursed her lips.

"Whatever…Jax…always the optimist. Okay I'll go tonight and pick up the damn award.

He leaned back in her chair, the leather squeaking and grinned at her like a little boy going to the amusement park as she shook her head.

She idly wondered if she could find a decent dress this late. She did know she owned one pair of kick ass heels.

* * *

><p>Derek studied the photos sprawled in front of him as part of the media packet for the star studded event.<p>

Heart surgeon Monica Quartermaine. Business owner Luke Spencer, he pushed that one aside. He was fairly sure that the former mayor would be a no show. Nikolas Cassadine, who ran his family's multi-billion dollar conglomerate and donated millions to worthy causes through his charitable foundation.

Jasper Jacks, the corporate raider who collected businesses as if it were a hobby rather than a vocation. His parents, wealthy and his brother Jerry, not one to be trusted.

Several other faces attracted his attention momentarily before moving along to the next, as his mind absorbed their bios committing them to memory.

Then he moved onto the last one, of the town's top litigator. Alexis Davis who had won three criminal trials last year and oversaw the acquisition of a half dozen corporations to Cassadine Industries.

She smiled at him, that killer smile of hers that could melt the polar ice caps and then refreeze them in a heartbeat. No doubt she had done that to those who opposed her in any arena whether it be the boardroom or the courtroom.

Or a couple…other venues.

Damn she looked beautiful, with her dark hair pinned up and her hazel eyes looking amused right now. Her lips curling into a smile and wearing a woolen gray dress that hugged her ample curves…the photo had been taken while she'd finished a court case as she had her satchel tucked under an arm.

Those same eyes could harden in an instant, a trait of her lineage. The Cassadines were a powerful cabal of alpha males not to be trifled with…he imagined there were a few alpha females in the mix as well.

Yet her eyes could be inquisitive, with an attention to detail just as the harsh edges of her face could soften enough to warm a man's soul.

He didn't know how he knew this. He just knew it was so.

* * *

><p>Carly shrieked, tossing cocktail dresses right and left on the floor of the penthouse. The man with her just rolled his eyes, but out of her sight.<p>

The diva in front of him could quickly turn into a shrew. Or a harpy with really long talons. If the boss hadn't been paying overtime to babysit his latest moll, Max would have gone to the fights with Coleman.

But now he was stuck. Because boss man wanted to wear Carly on his arm while attending some posh award ceremony at the Hotel where awards would be handed out like candy.

"I'm not doing it…"

He looked up at where she know leaned against the doorway looking peeved.

"Boss says you're going…"

She flipped her hair back, haughtily.

"He can't tell me what to do," she said, "Who does he think he is? Besides I'm not showing up. It's not like I'm winning anything."

Max sighed at her narcissism but that's how the boss liked his women for some reason.

"Why am I going again? They are NOT giving an award to that loser A.J. are they? I mean how can they do that and give Jason NOTHING?"

Max shrugged.

"No one said the world was a fair place."

She pressed her lips together.

"And to even think of giving anything to that Alexis," Carly continued, "I mean the woman needs some better threads to start with…she probably scared Ned away. Do you know that Sonny's actually thinking of using her as a lawyer?"

Max had heard that already. But diplomacy mattered in situations such as this one.

"He'd better think twice about that…and Jax…why isn't Sonny getting anything?"

Max didn't want to point out the obvious, that having ties to organized crime was an automatic disqualifier.

He didn't want to invite any trouble on himself.

* * *

><p>Inside the hotel room, the man unpacked his suitcase after checking into his suite. He looked at his watch. Not much time to prepare before he had to head off to the gala tonight where he'd be face to face with his intended target.<p>

He gazed at the photo he held in his gloved hand. The face that stared back at him had no idea that this might be the last night of their lives.


	2. Chapter 2

Alexis found the last file she needed to review before leaving her office and heading back to her apartment.

The one that Nikolas would need to facilitate the purchase of some empty storefronts on the waterfront. He had plans to open up a youth community service there as a tax write off. She shook her head, as he'd left her as always to navigate through the complications while he jetted off on business junkets.

He'd be in town tonight picking up his award at the gala. She closed the file and leaned back in her seat rubbing the bridge of her nose.

Done, but not really in a hurry to drive home and scrounge up a wardrobe for the party. The door cracked open and she narrowed her eyes to see who dropped by. Everyone else on her floor had left earlier.

Felicia Jones.

"Hi, can I help you with anything? I'm about to leave…"

Felicia smiled and nodded.

"I know you're getting an award tonight."

As if she needed any reminding, but she forced a smile on her face.

"You can give me an excuse to get out of it," she said, "You're not getting sued or perhaps have a parking ticket that needs handling…"

Felicia shook her head, bemused.

"What's with you? You should be honored to be getting such a prestigious award. I mean Mac's picking up the law enforcement award…and he's just like you. I had to pick up his tux and drop it off at the Floating Rib…"

Alexis had to smile at that.

"That's Mac for you. He'd rather kick back with a basket of ribs and watch a rugby match."

Felicia tilted her head flipping her golden locks back.

"If he can put on a tux for one night like it's choking him out, you can knock out in a pretty dress. You do own a party dress don't you?"

Alexis made a face.

"Yes I do. I've got a collection of black dresses for the occasional Cassadine function…or funeral but other than that…"

Felicia brightened.

"There you go…well I'll see you at the hotel then," she said, "and if I do need legal services I definitely know who to call…"

Felicia flounced right out of her office and Alexis just shook her head. But her friend was right, if Mac could find it within himself to spend the evening eating overpriced food at a shindig of stuffy people, then she could as well.

After all she'd already promised Jax and she'd never let down her favorite ex-husband.

* * *

><p>Brenda pouted as she sat on her chair in front of her fancy bureau with its oversized mirror. She'd stared into it not liking what she saw and not all the cosmetics bought from a high priced boutique on a modeling job in Paris was going to fix it. Her phone rang and she picked it up, making a face at the Caller ID.<p>

"I know what it is…you've got a date with the gala so you can get your award tonight."

"Well actually…"

She held her hand up.

"Look Ric, I'm thrilled you got the award…no one in the industry deserves it more than you do…but I've been so busy since you've been gone and I'm going home, ordering pizza and sitting back in my Jacuzzi and watching it on television."

Brenda was intent on playing harder to get than usual.

"It's being televised?"

She sighed.

"Of course it is…the mayor's giving the keynote address…I'll be miles away applauding while you go up and get it and make your speech which I'm sure will be great."

"We only get a couple of minutes and what I have to say can be done in 30 seconds."

She rubbed her arms.

"Well then you can smile for the rest of the time…at your date."

He paused on the other end of the phone.

"That's just it…I don't have a date…"

That didn't shock her but she played the part.

"What…you don't…I don't believe it."

He sighed.

"Everyone's already got a date to the gala. If I hadn't been out of town on important business…I might have had my pick."

Brenda chuckled at the man whose narcissism matched her own and likely stemmed from similar beginnings.

"Well I'm sure you'll find someone. You've still got several hours."

She knew the silence was his mind working at asking her out. She had to say he looked damn sexy even with the cosmetic gaffes and recently discovered wrinkles that faced her in the mirror right now. That could be fixed, like magic.

The words she expected came next.

"I was thinking about asking you," he said, "Unless some lucky man's asked you already."

"You're crazy…do you know what kind of poor form it is asking a girl at the last minute?"

His voice suddenly turned cajolingly.

"Oh come on Brenda…we've still got a few hours and plenty of time for you to get ready."

She just listened to him, not moved.

"I don't have a dress….and my hair…my shoes…"

He chuckled.

"I'm sure you can dig up something lovely in that huge walk in closet of yours."

She looked at her watch.

"In three hours…"

"Really…what do I look like Cinderella?"

Ric sighed.

"A little bit…come to think of it."

She just shook her head listening to him.

"Like I said…you're crazy…giving me no notice…I've got work to do. And Cinderella please! It's not like I'm Liz Webber."

"She's going with Lucky…"

She heard the disappointment lace his voice but knew she hadn't been his first choice. He wasn't hers either so maybe they were the perfect date tonight.

""Okay…but you're going to owe me Ric."

"Did I mention there's a weekend at the hotel included…room service…unlimited spa treatments and use of the most exclusive suite."

She rolled her eyes.

"It'd be great for both of us. Come on, we both would rather be at this event with someone else but why not have some fun?"

When he put it that way…she'd have to think about it.

* * *

><p>Alexis paced in her living room, wondering if she should just call 911 and have herself committed for 72 hour observation. Because his casual invite for her to join him at his award ceremony had been strange enough…but when he had tossed in a wardrobe, hair styling and a weekend in some posh suite, that's when she had really begun to worry about his sanity.<p>

A delivery man had just arrived with a stack of boxes and when she asked who sent them, he shrugged and after putting them down on the sofa, handed her the paperwork to sign.

"But…"

"I didn't receive any information from my boss," the man said, "Maybe you shouldn't look a gift box…"

She arched her brows.

"That's a horse…"

He shrugged again, waiting.

"Whatever…I'm just doing my job."

She signed the paperwork and tipped him before he left her apartment, where she stared dubiously at the mysterious boxes.

Who'd sent them? She opened up the top one and found a black silk dress with spaghetti straps and as she held it against herself ended just below the knee. Another box held a pair of black killer heels in her size.

A smaller box, she parted the tissue and saw a pendant in the shape of a silver heart. She smiled touching it as she held its chain between her fingers dangling it.

She had no idea who had sent it. There hadn't been any men in her life since Ned and things had ended for him some months ago. He was spending his time busy at the office overseeing mergers and engaging in power games with A.J. and Tracy, his latest partner being an unscrupulous woman named Faith Roscoe.

Unlikely to be him and unlikely to be her ex-husband Jax because they'd never been romantically involved even while married. For both of them it'd been a business decision and a rather convoluted one to boot. There'd been times when she'd been tempted…but both she and Jax had been entangled in other relationships and respected that in their business mer…marriage.

Any itches she'd thought about scratching with him…no it'd never work between them and it might ruin their tightly wound friendship. Definitely not worth the collateral damage.

She looked at the unwrapped boxes for a note that might give her a clue as to who might have sent them…but nothing.

Still the dress looked gorgeous, and the pendant…it tugged somewhere deep inside of her. Something about it…she knew she'd be wearing it and the dress tonight.

She had a thing about solving mysteries and to unravel this one, playing along would be the first step towards solving it.

* * *

><p>Derek sat in his office after getting off the phone with his partner who'd just closed a business deal in Singapore. He must be on a plane off to somewhere, the private jet no doubt because he could hear the roar of the engines.<p>

Just as long as he wasn't heading to PC. Too many people would know him here and more than a few were after him…for some stunts he'd pulled in the past not being the most scrupulous of business men. No hopefully his partner would have better hobbies to pursue far away from here.

Now he just kicked back in his suite. He had returned from the gym in the building and doing some reps on the machines to take the edginess that always came with jet lag. A few rounds with the sparring bag had kept him sharp. It helped him push away the distractions and remember why he'd returned to PC at this point in time.

But one distraction remained.

It came from that woman that had been included in the media packet on tonight's award ceremony.

Not even a glass of his favored bourbon shook her from his thoughts and he didn't understand why. She was just a woman after all and there'd been a revolving door of women coming in and out of his life. None of them stayed for very long.

This whole revolving door deal with women coming in and out of his life. Because he could never get close to any of them and he'd chosen his women carefully who could accept his boundaries.

He'd made his choices in life even when he hadn't had many choices. But he knew the woman in that picture didn't suffer fools and she didn't take prisoners. Her reputation preceded her. Those eyes…for some reason he didn't believe this was the first time he'd seen them but they'd had no professional contacts, their paths had never crossed through business.

He picked up his phone to make a call.

"Hi…this is Derek Wells….yeah that Derek…I'm calling about the tuxedo that's to be delivered to my suite… …the presidential suite…. Thanks..."

He moved on down the list.

"Hi…this is Derek Wells…yeah him…I called earlier about the photographer who will be shooting at the Gala tonight…I booked him a room. Have him call me when he checks in. Thanks."

Next item…

"Hi…Derek Wells again…my suite…it's very impressive…listen…those flowers I ordered earlier…I sent some equipment and need it delivered to my suite… Thanks…"

Derek put his phone down wondering if he had covered all his bases and he checked his list. He was a man who paid great attention to details, rarely missed anything and he wanted everything to be just perfect for covering what was considered to be the event of the year in PC.

* * *

><p>Alexis heard the phone ring in her bedroom and went to pick it up, next to a stack of unread books on her bedside table.<p>

"Hello…"

"Oh glad to catch you…this is Pandora's Pleasure Chest…"

"Pandora's…who…what?"

"Pandora's Pleasure Chest…we're just calling you back to tell you that your costume is ready…"

"The…what…?"

"Yes, and we're sure you'll really like it, it's red hot sexy…a really good choice…"

Alexis nearly dropped the phone.

"Do you have the right number?"

"Yes…let's see…this is the residence of Alexis Davis…"

Damn, someone out there was really was up to something here which she didn't care unless it involved her…then on the other hand…curiosity won out.

"Yes…a really sexy costume?"

"Oh yes…smoking hot if we say so ourselves…wait until you see the stockings…"

Alexis sighed.

"I guess I'll have to wait until it's delivered to see it…"

She did just that, shaking her head. But then a vision flashed of her wearing that outfit in a smoky room and being pressed against the clapboard wall by a man dressed like a sheriff….or a gangster…or both…with rugged looks, dangerous shadow and a lethal pair of lips, claiming her own mouth while his hands ran her dress up her thighs until he found her garter. Would he take her right there or would she lead him up the stairs to what was waiting?

What in the hell was she thinking? This had to be Jax and one of his practical jokes he'd tried out on her while married to loosen her up. Unbound her shackles to her Cassadine heritage. Besides Luke, he was the only one entitled to that privilege.

Yes this just had to be the handiwork of her ex…now she'd have to find a way to pay him back if it took all night.

* * *

><p>The man smiled to himself as he got off the phone after placing the orders. He turned to face the woman standing there dressed in black with the veil shielding her face.<p>

"I've done what you asked, but you still won't tell me why."

She shook her head at him.

"It's not for you to know," she said, "Two people are going to meet tonight again and we must make sure that neither of them remember…that's it's not the first time…"

She walked to pour herself a glass of Vodka from the wet bar and sipped it slowly, savoring every drop of her heritage in a glass.


	3. Chapter 3

Wow.

That had been the first wide that came to mind when his lips met hers. Before she started asking herself what the hell was going on here. But then never mind because the man with her could definitely plant one as her roommate in school might say.

Not that it surprised her because she had wondered what it would be like to kiss him, not that she thought it would go quite this way. Not that she ever thought it would happen at all. His mouth caressed hers in a way that invigorated her and so naturally she responded back, it would be rude not to right? His hands stroked her back through the form fitting woolen dress that she had worn that day. The way his fingers worked over the material and how it brushed her skin…it made her feel good.

It made her feel damn good. It also made her feel bold.

And her fingers responded by weaving their way through his thick head of hair, grasping tendrils of it, as the kiss naturally deepened. He tasted…like bourbon and spearmint and…something else…more elemental.

His hands slid down her back, to her hips which he gripped, pulling her closer to him and then…

* * *

><p>She heard the doorbell ring and her eyes opened and she found herself lying on the couch, after the most amazing dream. Images that had been so powerful already dissolving inside her head after her eyes opened.<p>

Damn where had that come from? But the doorbell kept ringing incessantly interrupting what for her had been a pleasurable experience…yet disturbing at the same time.

She opened the door and in walked Ned the man she'd ditched at the altar but who hadn't held it against her. He hadn't been the man of her dreams. That man barely had a face and no name.

"Hi Ned, what's up?"

He turned to face her, dimples erupting on his face.

"I see you're going to the gala tonight."

She nodded.

"Yes I am. Jax is taking me," she said, "and what about yourself? Congratulations on ELQ getting that philanthropist award."

He beamed tugging on his shirt. Alexis noticed he didn't seem entirely comfortable with the shirt or the life he'd chosen for himself.

"That's mostly Tracy…"

She folded her arms.

"Oh come off it Ned. You did all the leg work not her. She just comes out looking good."

He dug his hands in his pocket and looked downward.

"Okay but what about you? You're getting an award yourself. You got a date?"

She tilted her face at her ex-fiancée.

"Yeah I do…I'm going with my ex-husband."

He sighed dramatically. Typical Ned, when she said something he didn't like.

"Jax…why? You barely knew each other outside of business."

She paused.

"Because he's my best friend," she said, "It's nice for a change to kick back with someone who knows me and keeps his mouth shut."

Ned's brows arched.

"Ah so this is how it's going to be…"

She looked at her nails.

"I guess so Ned. Congrats on your award. It's well deserved."

Just like that she dismissed him. Rude of her she supposed but when she saw the way his brow creased, she'd braced herself. Ned could be sanctimonious, it'd taken her a while to realize that.

"If there's anything else…"

He shook his head and turned to leave. She let him. Their relationship had been centered on their mutual bondage tied in with being gatekeepers to their mutually dysfunctional families. It had worked until he decided one day that the Cassadines were one step lower on the rung than the Qs. Though her family had treated her rottenly she felt compelled to stand up for them on that point.

She shook her head at him.

"No nothing else," she said, "I'll see you at the gala and…congratulations…"

He turned around to leave, not too thrilled at being sent away.

* * *

><p>Derek looked at his photographer who'd just shown up mere hours before the gala. His flight had been delayed for hours at Miami on the way to PC from Puerto Rico. He's been charming some young impressionable thing named Sabrina, a girl much younger than himself.<p>

Derek didn't pay much attention to what Carlos Rivera did or said when not working for him. Even as his associate rhapsodized about this ethereal woman from his homeland that he was fixated on…Derek didn't allow himself such luxuries. He'd shed any vulnerabilities from himself…any chance at having a family of his own. Something in his own mind had stopped him…shut that part of him down when he considered it.

He didn't ask why. He just focused on his agenda, the one that'd bring him back to PC one day. Though he set foot on familiar turf, this wasn't his moment. Not that it couldn't allow him to do recon for that future date.

A mental checklist. Sonny Corinthoes seemed to be just a bad tempered wannabe heir to the throne of Frank Smith's organization. He surrounded himself with pitiful wannabe molls named Brenda Barrett and Carly Benson. An enforcer named Jason Morgan was working himself up through the ranks. Duke and Anna Lavery? Nowhere to be found. Lucy and Scott Baldwin, playing familiar roles.

Then there was this Alexis Davis who didn't belong in the mix. Derek knew that Sonny was trying to get her to work for him as legal counsel, surrounding a troubled teen named Zander Smith. So far he hadn't been successful. Derek found himself not wanting the legal eagle to get mixed up in Sonny's world.

She just seemed above it all…it couldn't be for any other reason than that. But he knew he was lying to himself.

"Hey boss, why are you looking at me so funny," Carlos piped up, "Aren't you going to chew me out?"

Derek blinked his eyes.

"Carlos… you were supposed to be here two hours ago."

His photographer and more hung his head down.

"I know boss but my flight was late and besides…she needed me."

Meaning the girl he was sweet on back home. Derek had no patience for sentimentality. He'd eliminated it from his own life. Carving away any sign of it like peeling flab away from filet Minot. No one, certainly no woman would stand in the way of him getting back what he'd lost.

Derek sighed impatiently.

"As long as you know why you're here," he said, "Photos for the magazine. Intelligence gathering for us."

Carlos nodded.

"Sure boss. Anyone in particular besides the Corinthoes?"

Derek paused.

"No… no one that you'd know…"

Carlos narrowed his eyes.

"You sure boss?"

Derek went to pour himself more bourbon.

"Well there's Alexis Davis," he said, "She's a lawyer who handles civil and criminal laws but I do know Corinthoes approached her to work for him."

Carlos shrugged.

"So what? I'm sure he has a bunch of lawyers at his beck and call."

Derek paused.

"Not any like Alexis Davis. She worked for Cassadine Industries in New York City for several years and now she's here getting an award."

"So what? Like I said…."

"I need to find out more about her…especially if she accepts Corinthoes' offer."

Carlos sighed.

"Sure thing boss…anything else?"

Derek paused.

"No…except for tonight…just be prepared for anything."

Carlos smiled easily enough.

"Sure thing boss…business as usual right?"

Derek nodded absently while sipping his drink thoughtfully.

* * *

><p>Carly snarled at Max, who was standing politely by the doorway.<p>

"What are you looking at?"

He answered quickly enough.

"Nothing…"

She stood up, hands on her hips.

"You do know that I'm just doing this to humor him."

Max didn't miss a beat.

"Of course…"

She smiled in satisfaction.

"Good…listen you know that Sonny and I have an agreement?"

He smiled.

"Sure thing. But he wants you to look nice for the gala tonight."

She put a hand on her hip.

"He's not even getting an award so what's the point of him going?"

Max scratched the back of his neck.

"He wants to make an appearance…you know it works with him."

Yes Carly did, but she knew it was more than that. She knew that Sonny still pined over that dreadful drama queen Brenda and that he'd approached Alexis Davis to do some legal work for him.

He was paying attention to women but not to her. That just wasn't acceptable in her world.

"I know Max but this isn't about business," she said, "It's about the beginning of our life together. Nothing else should matter…"

Max just clenched his jaw knowing there was no way to win here. Sonny did as he wanted and no woman controlled him except inside her own head.

Carly might think differently but that didn't change the truth.

* * *

><p>"Careful…"<p>

She just rolled her eyes at his warning.

"You'd better be careful too if you don't stop talking nonsense…"

He considered that as they lay together sprawled in the back seat of his car.

"Okay then…let's stop talking…"

He took that last step separating them and he put his hands on her, making sure nothing got caught between her and him. She just looked up at him wondering what he'd try next.

She didn't have long to wait as his lips brushed against her own, feather soft at first, tantalizing them, then moving away before returning again, with slightly more pressure. Her mouth went dry and she felt the leather seat push against her back. His lips grew more insistent, hungrier and his tongue pushed against her lips coaxing them to open enough to allow entrance. The first jolt of electricity which hit her after she parted her lips to let him inside…and her breath left her.

His hands rubbed her through her dress, her sides, her hips and then down her thighs while she wrapped her mouth around his tongue and applied light pressure. She put her hands on his chest and felt his heart race even through his shirt. His hands nudged her woolen dress up her thighs, caressing the skin that became exposed to his touch. So soft and silky smooth…he didn't hear her suck in her breath but he felt it and he felt his own body respond. His tongue sought hers and they tasted, as they touched.

His hands had slipped up to touch the lace that enclosed the apex of her thighs…and when he touched it, he knew that she wanted him. When he touched her there through the lace, she stopped kissing and pulled away.

"Julian…"

"Shhh….now…everything's okay…in fact this is very nice."

Her breath came rapidly.

"We were kissing and your hand is up my dress."

He sighed.

"Well…yes it is…and I can feel how much you like that…"

She almost burst out laughing at how he handled being caught with his hand…well not in the cookie jar but close enough…not that she really wanted him to stop….but she really should…want that…because this was just not what should be happening. She didn't know what to do next and the bourbon had made her heady.

"I can feel you through your pants…but we can't do this…it's not…"

He kissed her tenderly on the mouth and she lost track of the words that should follow…what had she been thinking about again?

"It's not…what?"

She felt completely lost…and it didn't help matters that he had started stroking her underwear, arousing all kinds of feelings….her face felt flushed…her skin tingled…and she felt him grow hard against her belly when their bodies touched.

She felt her eyes close…and then he slipped one of his fingers inside of her and she looked at him, startled by the sudden pressure.

"Look at me…I catch you looking anywhere else…I'll stop…"

She sighed heavily against him.

"Maybe you should…no….don't…I can't believe we're here doing this."

He smiled slowly and his finger moved and stroked her inside while his other fingers…oh wow…she suppressed a cry…her eyes widened but remained on his face as he had wanted. And she saw…how much he was enjoying himself pleasuring her. Then his pace quickened….and she felt herself spinning…no she had to stay in control here…but her legs turned to jelly along with everything else.

"Are you close?"

How the hell should she know…ah…yeah…maybe…?

"I…."

Coherent speech wasn't exactly one of her strong suits when she was…experiencing pleasure. And neither was keeping her eyes open but he kept cajoling her to do that as his fingers pushed her closer and closer to the brink…no…no…no…she couldn't lose herself in front of him…never…because then what would happen next.

But then…her body…started to quiver deliciously and she knew what was coming…she was coming…and as she did, with his finger still inside of her, their eyes met and locked…she couldn't look away and he wouldn't let her as she felt the waves inside her threaten to break loose. Tears sprung in her eyes…and she couldn't control them and she couldn't look away.

"Shhhh….," he whispered as he kissed her mouth again muffling her cries and her legs gave out and she felt against him but he caught her. She hadn't fallen into the abyss as she feared and the expression on his face…totally turned on. His fingers receded but he still kissed her as he smoothed her dress back down over her thighs.

"Wow…"

He brushed her damp hair away from her face.

"Yeah…wow…I never would have guessed…"

She rested her hands on his shoulders.

"Would have guessed what?"

"How responsive you are…I'm looking forward to what comes next…"

Alexis blinked her eyes as she looked into the mirror. She'd been styling her hair for the evening and her mind had wandered…only she didn't know where. This man without a face, a soft, silken voice and cologne that had made her body relax….who was he and what did this all mean?

And yet somehow she remembered him and remembered why… and yet before her mind could grab hold of the memories and hang on…they slipped away again.

* * *

><p>The woman in the veil sighed at the man.<p>

"This is a waste of our time," she said, "There's no reason to be here. She's but a mouse as she's always been since her mother died."

The man stood up facing the woman.

"The night you sliced her throat and watched her bleed…"

The woman waved her hand.

"Oh that. Nothing lost. A common pheasant who dared tread where she didn't belong…"

The man glared at her almost as if in challenge.

"You killed her like it was nothing."

The woman paused to stroke his cheek lovingly.

"Oh it wasn't…nothing….."


	4. Chapter 4

Derek smiled to himself as he lined up his next shot. He loved shooting pool because it helped him relax and it helped him clear his mind so he could think through tough issues or problems and more often than not, he came up with solutions even while lining up the two ball to hit the six ball into the corner pocket.

And he rarely ever missed.

He'd fled the hotel and left Carlos still fuming over his assignment at the gala tonight to get some fresh air. He knew he should be finalizing his preparations for his coverage of the keynote event but honestly he knew the bios of the award recipients in all the different disciplines backwards and forwards.

The gala would be starting soon enough beginning with the red carpet but that did leave him with a couple of hours to unwind and he got into his rental and drove off to an old watering hole owned by a hairy animal of a guy named Coleman. He took in the man with the bushy eyebrows, the even crazier hair and the gold chain around his neck who met him at the bar. Something about him appeared familiar…but he couldn't figure out what.

"Hey man, can I get you anything?"

Derek looked around and had already found what he really needed right now on the other side of the room. But first things first…

"I'll have a bottle of the house beer."

"The house what…oh you mean the good stash," Coleman said, "I just got a crate of some Canadian brusky in that's on ice."

"That'll do…I see you have a pool table."

Coleman nodded.

"Yeah…it sees a lot of action," he said, "but place is quiet tonight. Everyone's at the gala."

He handed Derek a bottle of beer after deftly popping off the cap. Derek headed to the pool table after taking a gulp of his beer. He reached for the pool cue sizing it up before chalking its tip.

The pool table looked worn, like it'd seen a lot of action. The balls were scratched and the pockets dangling, and worn out nets. But all he wanted to do was knock some balls around the table and sink a few.

So he set the rack up for a game of Nine, not seeing the woman enter the bar.

* * *

><p>Liz shook her hair out impatiently, the tightly woven ringlets shaking loose around her head. She looked down at her dress spread across her bed and sighed, as she stretched her arms over her head.<p>

Lucky would be her date tonight and she didn't know how she felt about that. He hadn't been the only man to ask her out. Ric Lansing had made a play for her but she'd rebutted his invitation. Something about him…just smacked of desperation. He should know she was back with her first love, Lucky Spencer now and just leave her alone.

Yet…she felt drawn to Ric…the bad boy that she felt she could fix. After all, he called her his angel of mercy often enough. But she had to say no to him this time. Lucky was the man she wanted after all. She had to try to make things work with him.

The phone rang. She picked it up and of all people, it was Sam McCall! She didn't even know why she'd called. It's not like they got along with each other.

"What's up?"

Liz felt her guard go up as she said that. But Sam seemed mellow enough.

"Not much. I just wondered if you're going to the gala tonight."

Liz paused, twisting the cord.

"Yes I am…with Lucky. Are you going?"

A pause on that end, then a sigh.

"Yes…I thought I'd go with Jax but he invited some other woman," Sam said, "So I might go stag if that's allowed."

"I'm sure it is. I'm sure they're not checking at the gate for dates."

Sam sighed again.

"Jason asked me," she said, "but I won't go with him."

"Why not?"

Sam sighed.

"Because he's just interested in protecting his boss Sonny and I'm not interested in him," she said, "I would have rather gone with Jax but he's going with Alexis Davis…"

"That makes sense," Liz reasoned, "They were married once."

Sam paused.

"Maybe…but Jason asked me out and I don't know why. See Sonny Corinthoes asked me on a date..."

Liz sighed.

"I think you should stay away from him," she said, "He's very mixed up inside."

"Maybe…but I can handle him. I can handle anyone."

Liz heard the bravado in Sam's voice and it made her body stiffen.

"You don't know Sonny…

* * *

><p>Alexis had walked into the bar and Coleman had greeted her with a cheery smile as she sat down by the bar.<p>

"I see, you're not that busy tonight," she said, "Everyone's going to the PC Hotel for that farce of an awards ceremony."

Coleman stood there laughing.

"Alexis…aren't you one of the award recipients?"

She sighed, looking down at her glass.

"Yeah but that's hardly my fault is it? I didn't nominate myself for any award."

Coleman chuckled.

"That's my girl but you got to go there and get it and prepare your speech of all those people to thank for where you are now."

She scoffed.

"I'd rather avoid it all. I'm the one who fought to get me where I'm at and no one else not even…"

She stopped while she was still ahead.

"I'd rather play some pool but I can see the table's occupied."

Coleman shrugged.

"He's harmless enough. Why don't you go and fleece him? Earn some money on the side."

Alexis considered that gazing at the man shooting his own game of pool at the table.

"I'll think about it," she said, "in the meantime, do you have some Vodka on the rocks?"

He deftly poured her one and sipping it, she thought it hit the spot as she watched the man set up what looked like a game of Nine.

Always her game of choice. Perhaps Coleman was right, perhaps she should walk on over there and offer to play a few rounds and clean him out. That might put her in the right mood for the award ceremony.

As it turned out he walked up to her at the bar first…to refresh his drink. But as he did that, he appraised her coolly. She looked right back at him. He didn't look like the friendliest of men but most weren't unless they wanted something. But she understood that part of them.

Then he smiled at her, his hands resting on his hips.

"Excuse me, I feel like I know you from somewhere…"

She arched her brows.

"I don't think I've ever seen you before…"

He digested that and she supposed as far as pickup lines went, she'd heard worse ones but she wasn't really in the mood for that tonight. Not since her encounter with Scotty Baldwin last weekend.

"Oh…really…I just thought…could you tell me your name?"

Her mouth twitched. Okay she could play along with him for a bit.

"Alexis…Alexis Davis…"

He seemed to consider that, shrugging slightly then he extended his hand. She took it, finding his grip as firm as hers.

"I'm Derek Wells…I'm in town to cover an event."

She tilted her face.

"Don't tell me it's at the PC Hotel."

"Yes it is…ah, you'll be receiving an award there tonight."

She made a face.

"Don't remind me…not my idea…"

He appeared to digest that.

"Say can I buy you a drink?"

She shook her head.

"No thanks…Coleman here is keeping my tab going…but I noticed you like to shoot pool."

He picked up a beer that Coleman got for him.

"Yeah when I have time. How about you?"

She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Oh occasionally…though I'm not much good at billiards…"

He smiled again.

"You want to give it a shot. It's not much fun playing alone."

She considered that and decided she could move her Vodka on the rocks to the billiard table and have some fun before heading off to the gala.

"Okay I'll give it a try but I'm really not very good…"

He seemed pleased and she threw Coleman a wink as she walked with her mark back to the pool table.

Coleman just shook his head, as he headed back into the kitchen.

* * *

><p>Sonny pouted at the table in his penthouse, a bottle of Scotch next to him. Shattered remnants of some glassware on the ground. Max kept his distance from him boss and Jason just stood there, motionless down to his hair.<p>

"Boss…it's not A.J. who's actually getting the award," Max explained, "It's Monica Quartermaine but Ned Quartermaine will be there accepting it with her."

Sonny glowered.

"It's not fair. I donated far more to that new hospital wing than A.J. did."

Jason finally spoke up.

"He's not getting the award. Max just told you."

Sonny pounded his fist on the table.

"I just told you it's not fair…now who's going to pick up all this broken glass?"

Jason and Max looked at one another. It was going to be another long night and it was just getting started.

* * *

><p>Looking at her empty glass, she decided it was time to refresh it with something milder than the staple of her heritage. Then again, she was just about to set up a great shot that just might end this game before it even got started.<p>

Derek had set up the game and made the first shot scattering the balls around the table. Not bad, but clearly it wasn't his best game.

"I just need to refresh my drink…"

He nodded intent on the table in front of him.

Coleman filled her glass with spritzer and returned to where he was, waiting for her. She put her glass down after a sip and picked up the cue, looking for the optimal way to strike.

His eyes widened when she did sinking a few more balls in the corner and side pockets. Then she missed the next time.

"Your turn…"

He stood poised over the table lining up a shot which gave her a nice look at how his pants molded his fine ass, the suppleness of his muscular form. Obviously the man worked out when he wasn't running some business empire somewhere. She didn't know much about the man but she knew a capitalist mogul when she saw one.

He sunk a striped ball in the left corner and looked happy about that. Oh she was about to wipe that smile off his face. That bothered her because he didn't look like a man who smiled a lot.

Coleman swaggered on over.

"Who's winning?"

That stopped Derek in his tracks and she saw him turn to face Coleman, resting his cue against the table.

"Depends…on what the stakes are…"

Alexis shrugged.

"I thought this was just for fun…"

Coleman laughed heartily.

"With you darling, that word's not in your vocabulary unless you've got the advantage."

Derek arched his brows casually.

"Advantage?"

Coleman nodded.

"The woman's a pool shark," he said, "and I'm guessing it's not strip poker because we'd know by now whether you're a boxer or brief man."

Derek pursed his lips.

"I see…"

Alexis tried not to get flustered. She hated it when Coleman outed her prowess at the table the moment he felt sorry for a fellow member of the men's club.

She folded her arms, interjecting.

"I thought the point was to sink all the balls in those pockets…"

Derek nodded, glancing at Coleman.

"If it's an innocent game of Nine then yes…those are the rules."

Alexis reached for her glass sipping it.

"Hey you invited me to play against you," she said, "Your rules…and terms."

Derek chuckled.

"You left a few things out…thanks to the bartender, I'm more informed."

She put her hands on her hips after shooting a look at Coleman that'd freeze a hot spring before he walked away. How like him to drop a bomb and then hightail it out of there.

"Well if you don't want to play anymore…"

"I didn't say that. But the way I see it, you took my invite under false pretenses and motives that were at best questionable and I think you should make it up to me…"

She narrowed her eyes.

"Excuse me? Why would I need to do that?"

He clearly looked like he was enjoying himself but he didn't know who he was dealing with here.

"Because you seem like a nice enough woman."

She laughed.

"Hardly. But nice try…"

He sipped from his beer bottle.

"Well you're getting that award tonight."

She groaned.

"Don't remind me…speaking of which I should get going. My date's probably waiting at my house wondering where the hell I went."

"Date?"

She nodded.

"Another lucky recipient, Jasper Jacks…"

"Ah, the world renowned corporate raider…"

She didn't deny it though she didn't like the term used with Jax.

"You mean yourself? I know one when I see one after all Mr. Wells," she said, "You're the renowned corporate raider of media companies. You've got quite a collection of them."

He arched a brow.

"Then you've heard of me," he said, "is that all you've heard?"

She pressed her lips together.

"Pretty much, except that you're ruthless but then you'd have to be. We'll this has been…fun but I should head back before Jax calls the cops."

He shook his head.

"You'd think your ex-husband would know where to find you by now when you were avoiding something unpleasant."

She looked at him, her eyes locking with his for the briefest of moments.

"Even my ex-husband doesn't know all of my secrets Mr. Wells…"

With that she turned around and left the bar leaving him in her wake.

* * *

><p>Alexis walked out of the bar and got into her car, turning on the headlights before driving off. Another pair of headlights soon followed closely behind her.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Alexis looked at herself in the mirror. The black dress with those thin straps hugged her curves like a glove and her hair, delicately curly around her face just reaching her bare shoulders. And the lace and silk underneath her dress felt very nice as it had slid against her skin while she put the dress on.

With heels to match, she looked beautiful as the two women kept telling her as they had helped her get ready after arriving at her apartment. She had relaxed as they had done the manicure and pedicure and had really enjoyed the aromatherapy massage. Alexis had always loved spa treatments as a favorite indulgence but she could never fit them in her very busy schedule. So when someone had set that up for her, just as that mystery person had bought the dress she found herself unable to say no. It just had to be Jax after all.

Now as for that shipment of elegant yet naughty lingerie, she'd almost thought that a bit presumptuous perhaps even a practical joke from someone like Coleman or that undercover police officer Taggart but sliding her fingers across it…smoothened silk with just the right amount of lace… she added that to her wardrobe too.

After all no one would know about it. Still she wondered who'd delivered all those boxes. She was a woman of the nineties and had no need for falling into the Cinderella complex trap of having anyone take care of her. As for a fairy godmother, well maybe she needed one back when the evil stepmother, Helena had come after her real mother when she was five.

Yes this was all Jax. Maybe he'd had too much sunlight from the exposed ozone layer back in Australia. He'd sent her gifts in the past but nothing quite like this. Was he serious or was it a joke, because he had a wicked sense of humor and wasn't above pulling pranks during their marriage. He'd taught her how to lighten up without preaching her flaws to her like some other men in her life.

A lady on his arm at the awards ceremony elegantly outfitted for the world to see and behind closed doors, a harlot in the bedroom? Well if he thought his plan would unfold the way he had designed it, he had another thing coming. Yeah, she would accompany him to his award ceremony but she would draw the line at heading up to his suite. Because it was never that way between her and Jax. They'd drawn the line and never crossed it, though now she couldn't remember whose idea it had been. But no, he couldn't seriously be thinking…she knew that about him didn't she?

She looked at her watch. Her ex-husband and now date to the gala would be here any minute.

* * *

><p>Derek hated tuxes as he stood there shirtless looking down at the one he had to wear tonight. But even while covering an event, he always dress to fit in and since his entertainment reporter had bailed, that left him to do the legwork and Carlos to take photos if he'd ever get off the phone with the love of his life Sabrina back in his homeland.<p>

Suddenly he heard a knock on the door. It must be room service with the cuff links which were supposed to go with his costume. He glanced at his shirt and then headed to the door. He had no qualms about walking around without one.

He opened the door but it wasn't room service.

"Ava, what the hell are you doing here?"

The woman with the icy blonde hair and the mood to match sauntered in the suite not awaiting an invitation. How like her to suddenly pop up unannounced even when ordered to stay away. She just smiled.

"Oh dear brother you'd think I'd miss the excitement," she said, "You know how much I like parties."

He sighed.

"Ava, this isn't going to be a party," he said, "It's going to be one of those stuffy award ceremonies where people get on stage to say things they don't really mean."

She waved a hand.

"I know that but I'm really here because an art collector contacted me to sell them some paintings," she said, "Someone with a lot of cash who's willing to drop it on those latest paintings I got from that exciting young artist…"

Derek rolled his eyes.

"You mean that Franco character don't you? I told you to stay away from him. You do know that he was interviewed by police according to that article one of my papers did on the So Ho killings…"

She pursed her lips.

"Franco's innocent. Okay not really but he's not a killer. He's an artist, a very talented one, a bright light in a sea of abstract darkness. He'll bring clarity back to the medium."

Derek had a hard time believing that but he knew better than to argue with his sister about art and artists, especially on a tight schedule. Ava folded her arms.

"So why are you here dear brother? And don't tell me it's all about the gala…"

Derek paused.

"It's not your concern what my business is here."

Ava's eyes narrowed.

"It is if it affects our plans," she said, "You do remember what they are don't you? In fact I don't even know why you'd return to the scene of your crimes."

Derek grimaced slightly.

"As I said, it's none of your concern…"

Her eyes lit up.

"You're here to meet with that man who was at Ryan's Bar last month. I saw you two together. The guy with the dark hair and the overcoat…very European."

"Greek actually…but we were just discussing…business."

"What kind of business that would bring you back to your old haunting grounds before it's time?"

Derek remained silent for a moment, then exhaled slowly.

"He contacted me…said he got my location from Robert Scorpio," he said, "and that he needed to talk to me about something important."

Ava frowned, digesting that information.

"Robert spilled on you? I thought…"

Derek's mouth twitched.

"I had a deal with Robert that in certain circumstances…though I was surprised given the relationship between these two men…"

Ava leaned in closer, her eyes gleaming with that familiar look of calculation.

"So what was so important…what did this man want to see you about?"

Derek paused even longer this time as Ava awaited his answer.

"He said he had something to tell me. Something that would change my life forever."

* * *

><p>Carly glanced up at Sonny who looked like he was in a snit about something. His hand bandaged and she knew there'd been a tantrum which had casualties. There were as many shipments of replacement glassware to the household as there were shipments of whatever contraband Sonny handled to one of his warehouses.<p>

She knew she had to help him. Sonny couldn't make it without her at his side. Though A.J. and the other Qs were getting honored tonight, she felt that Sonny was the true prize.

After all he'd provided a home for her and Michael. He'd bought her nice dresses and jewelry which made her the most beautiful and desirable woman in town, even if it made all the other women hate her.

Yes they did hate her because she was such a sex goddess not for any other reason.

Sonny led her to his car after having his guards do the usual obligatory check for bombs or other lethal devices. Her husband had a lot of enemies after all. After all she hadn't initially married him out of love but things had gloriously changed between them since. She had everything she wanted, including a man devoted to her when he had time away from running a coffee importing business

Except…

Well Brenda was out of the picture for the most part. She was hanging out with Sonny's brother Ric but there were a couple other, minor problems.

"Sonny?"

He gazed at her perusing her body like he always did.

"What Carly?"

She smiled a bit uneasily.

"You're not going to hire that bitch to be your new lawyer are you?"

Sonny paused blinking his eyes at her.

"What…you mean Alexis and she's the best lawyer in town. You know I only hire the best to work for me."

Carly's nostrils flared.

"But Alexis…really and why are you spending time with her?"

Sonny smiled, a dimple showing.

"She's helping me with Zander. You know that don't you?"

Her face wrinkled in distaste.

"That road will only lead to trouble and you know it. I think you should end it and hire someone else…"

Sonny sneered.

"You mean my brother Ric…?"

Carly shrugged.

"Well he's a great lawyer and it'll give you chance to patch up your differences…"

Sonny waved his hand dismissively.

"Forget it. He's dead to me," he said, "and Alexis is doing great with Zander so I think I really need her to handle all my legal."

Carly snickered.

"At least she's got a poor sense of fashion style and wears that hair…"

Sonny smiled.

"Is my little wife jealous of my future attorney?"

Carly grew indignant.

"Hell no Sonny…I know that at least around her, you'll definitely be able to keep it in your pants…"

Max walked up to them to tell them that the inspection of the car had revealed it to be safe. He waited until their exchange was finished, totally used to the banter between the boss and his latest moll.

* * *

><p>Alexis looked at Jax, still fingering her necklace because she didn't feel like discussing with him about jewelry whether or not his brother, Jerry would show up when she had to save her resolve to survive the award ceremony tonight.<p>

"Yes…should we go to your car?"

"No…we're taking the limo tonight…Hawk's going to pick us up and drive us to the hotel…he's on call for the weekend."

She shouldn't have been surprised…because probably most of the honorees and distinguished attendees would be doing the same thing. He slipped his arm in hers and they headed to the elevator.

The limo was impressively decked out, with a TV screen, a wet bar and spacious seating…plus that all important tinted window which Jax had activated as soon as they slipped into the car to give them privacy.

"Want something to drink?"

"No…I had two drinks already and we're not even at the dinner."

Jax poured himself some more Scotch…and leaned back in the seat.

"You prepared your speech yet?"

He didn't seem all that concerned.

"I'll say a few words, thank a few deserving people, omit those who deserve it and flatter the hosts…"

His usual routine he noted, because he had won awards before and this…and Alexis had to admit that sounded like the perfect plan.

"I'll do the same. It'll be nice when this travesty is over."

"No, the nice part is what's coming after," he said, "You ever done it in a limo?"

She just looked at him dropping her jaw. He had to be kidding right?

"No…have you?"

Silly question, she realized when he just smiled at her.

"Of course…"

She tilted her face.

"Jax where is this coming from since we've never even done it at all?"

He looked serious and then he broke into one of his sexy smiles, where the jaded businessman merged with the idealistic young boy.

"I just wanted to see how you'd respond," he said, "an ice breaker…you seem awfully pensive."

She blinked her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I'm not great company. It's just that I've been thinking…"

He leaned closer, squeaking the leather seat.

"About what?"

She looked down at her hands a moment.

"About a man I met tonight," she said, "Derek Wells…he's building quite a media empire."

Jax nodded.

"I know him…he's tried to come after some of my radio and television networks throughout Australia. He's quite ruthless in the boardroom."

"Oh so you mean he's a lot like you?"

Jax grew serious.

"No not at all…it's just like I've never seen anyone so focused on empire building," he said, "He doesn't seem to have much else of a life."

Alexis countered.

"That's you sometimes. I know I was married to you."

Ouch, he grimaced from that. She rubbed his shoulder to soften her remark.

"I didn't mean…but when I first met you."

Jax conceded.

"I was like that because I wanted to outdo my father's achievements but then I discovered something called girls."

She chuckled at him.

"How do you know this Mr. Wells doesn't have a personal life," she said, "Maybe he's just private about it."

"Maybe…but never saw him with the same woman more than once and he spent most of his time at social events chatting up future clients."

Alexis nodded.

"He didn't talk too much when we played pool at Coleman's place."

Jax' brows arched up.

"You played pool with Derek Wells," he said, "I trust it wasn't your usual game."

Alexis' cheeks pinked slightly.

"Jax, I barely know the man…"

Jax chuckled and then turned serious again.

"Maybe you should keep it that way Alexis…that man has secrets and it might be best not to get too wrapped up in him."

She slapped his arms.

"Jax…I'm from a family that's all about secrets," she said, "I know how to handle myself. You know that."

He stroked a tendril of hair off her face fondly.

"I know that…but I'm never going to stop looking out for you. You should know that too."

Yes she most definitely knew that about her ex-husband…one of the reasons she loved him though she'd never admit it.

* * *

><p>Derek glanced at Carlos in the hallway. Ava remained in the suite on the phone making contact with her prospective buyer. She wouldn't spill on her name, just told him it was a powerful person with plenty of disposable income and a powerful reach.<p>

"So boss, just the usual photos or anything else?"

Derek paused.

"The usual for now. I'll let you know if that changes after I meet with him."

Carlos ran a hand through his shaggy hair.

"You really think he'll show?"

"He'll show. He promised me that he'd give me this information though I can't understand what it might be."

"Maybe it's news that can help our operation."

Derek frowned.

"I'm not sure about that. He was enigmatic…and it seemed more personal."

Carlos laughed.

"How can that be boss? You have no personal life…all work and no pleasure…no family…"

Derek interrupted him.

"Enough on that. I chose not to fill my life with…complications. I've got a job to do and I've already put years of work into the day when I'm ready to put our plan into action."

Carlos nodded.

"I know you chose that strategy so that no one could get at you, so you wouldn't ever be vulnerable to enemies, older or new. But don't you ever feel like you've missed out?"

"Not really…all my family is dead. Everyone I was close to…dead. It's easier this way and my focus is on what I set out to do."

"Whatever…but I couldn't imagine life without my Sabrina."

Derek felt irritation rise in him.

"What would you do if suddenly she was taken away from you? Will it all have been worth it then if one of our enemies killed this love of your life?"

Carlos paused, looking somber then nodded.

"Yes it would…and nothing will ever happen to her because I'll make sure of that."

Derek sighed thoughtfully.

"That's what you might believe…but it's never that easy. Trust me on that."

Carlos shrugged.

"So where were you this afternoon?"

"At a bar…I ran into one of the award recipients…the lawyer Alexis Davis."

Carlos arched a brow.

"Her photo looked pretty hot," he said, "so did you two…"

"We shot pool together," Derek said, "She played like she didn't know the game. Turns out she was a ringer."

Carlos laughed.

"That must have been fun. So someone pulled over on the boss?"

Derek flashed him a look of annoyance.

"The bar owner Coleman tipped me off. She wasn't sorry either."

Carlos looked amused.

"So what about you? Did you enjoy the game?"

Derek paused again.

"Yes…I did…but there was something else. Something about her…"

"Something what boss? Don't leave me hanging."

Derek tried to put it into words but they didn't come easily.

"Something…familiar…"

* * *

><p>Alexis left Jax in the lobby and went to the bathroom where she saw other women dressed to the nines reapplying makeup or teasing their hairstyles. One woman popped some pills and sipped them down with a flask she kept in a purse. Another woman's large purse sat on the counter and a small toy poodle poked his nose out of it, looking around.<p>

Alexis just really needed time to collect herself…big gatherings filled with bright light, milling people and flash bulbs just weren't her thing…she did the events because she needed to do because it was expected of her. But she'd rather be elsewhere.

Anywhere else than here.

"So did you blow him?"

She saw that one woman wearing her blond hair like an old 80s style had asked that of a redheaded girl who looked kind of like a flapper.

"Hell no…I didn't want the part that bad but I bet they gave it to someone who did…"

"Well you know what they say…if you're not willing to pay, you can't play...," the blond said, looking at her teeth.

"He's awfully handsome young and he's mysterious…supposedly he's royalty. Some prince or something."

That caught Alexis attention because she knew they were talking about her nephew, Nikolas who'd become quite the playboy as of late. The billionaire businessman had to fight socialites and gold diggers off with a stick.

The blonde laughed.

"I'm so glad I got out of acting and found myself a rich man to marry…though Nicky is handsome."

_Nicky? _Oh she would definitely have to have a talk with him.


	6. Chapter 6

Derek watched Alexis as she walked towards him in the bar, in that spectacular black dress which showed off her curves, the kind that meant he couldn't take his eyes off of her. And as she approached him, he imagined what it would be like peeling that dress off of her body, inch by inch until she stood before him in her saucy lingerie and they moved on from there.

Then he rejected that image as quickly as it had hit him. Where had that thought come from? After all, he'd just played a harmless game of pool with her. He'd taken her for an amateur when he should have known better.

The woman was a pool shark. Coleman told him as much when he'd taken pity on him and then the ruse had quickly ended. Much to his disappointment because he'd enjoyed it.

Now she stood by the bar ordering a drink, chatting with the young bartender who laughed at something she said.

"Hey boss…"

Carlos interrupted him and he turned to face his associate.

"What is it now? I thought you were taking photos of the red carpet…"

Carlos looked where Derek had been looking and his face lightened.

"Ah but some were crafty enough to elude the paparazzi like Ms. Davis over there," he said, "and some creature named Carly Corinthoes started spitting at a Brenda Barrett jamming it all up."

"Did you snap any photos?"

Carlos almost looked miffed.

"Course I did boss…some dignitaries did manage to get through the melee. So I see someone's got your attention. There a story there boss? Something you didn't tell me?"

Derek paused glancing at Alexis at the bar, shook his head.

"Nothing to tell. She's one of the honorees tonight at an event we're covering."

Carlos gave him a knowing look.

"That's not all we're doing…"

Derek said nothing for a long moment. Carlos shifted his equipment on his shoulder.

"We're going to have to move forward with our plan…"

"I know but I need you to do something for me first."

Carlos smiled.

"Anything…well almost anything."

Derek stroked his chin with his thumb.

"I need you to keep tabs on Ava."

Carlos furrowed his brow.

"Why? I know she was supposed to stay back in the City but she won't get in the way of our plans. She's here to sell some art."

"That's what she told me but I don't buy it. She told me it was some wealthy customer ready to buy paintings by that Franco character."

Carlos' eyes widened.

"Seriously boss? She couldn't unload them at the So Ho gallery and now she finds an interested buyer? I agree…it's suspicious. What do you want me to do?"

Derek sighed.

"I know how fond you are of Ava…"

"I am but she knows better than to cross either one of us. That time we ran into Jerry…our plan was almost ruined."

Derek hadn't forgotten about that episode. Jerry hadn't and had stayed hidden away, not that Derek cared…he'd never trusted the businessman who was anything but. Derek wondered if Jax had any idea what his brother had really been up to the past year.

"That won't happen but I need you to keep an eye on her and if she tries anything…"

Carlos nodded.

"Head her off at the pass…I know…"

Derek's jaw tensed.

"And if you can find anything about her buyer, bring it back to me…"

* * *

><p>Liz bit her lip before joining Lucky in the lobby. She wanted to head straight to the bar and break her rule of not touching the hard liquor. It'd been a rough evening since she got off her shift at GH and returned home to get ready for the gala. Lucky had been upset since he'd been suspended from the PD for an excessive force investigation during a bust.<p>

Against Jason Morgan of all people. She just couldn't believe that Lucky would do such a thing to him. She'd said as much to him after Lucky had poured a glass of whisky from the wet bar and he hadn't handled it well. He'd accused her of favoring the latest enforcer to work under Sonny over her boyfriend.

Things had gone downhill from there and she'd reconsidered rejecting Ric's invite. Yeah he wasn't her first choice but compared to the surly man sitting in the darkened living room, he seemed like a better date.

But no she'd stuck it out and Lucky had seemed to snap out of his mood enough to shower and get ready for the gala. Though on the drive over to the hotel, they'd sniped at each other. At one point, she'd just cranked up the jazz station on the radio and ignored him.

She headed to the bar to order a Vodka on the rocks and bumped into Alexis who was chatting up the bar tender. She frowned in recognition.

"Det. Taggart is that you? What are you doing here tending bar?"

He grinned widely, glancing at Alexis and back at Liz.

"Guilty as charge…when Mac became commissioner he had to cut the budgets and so most of us cops are moonlighting."

Liz nodded slowly. Still she wasn't sure that he was being straight with her or whether this was one of Mac's crazy surveillance operations. She turned to Alexis.

"Nice to see you again," she said, "I see you agreed to represent Lucky in his board of rights hearing."

Alexis nodded.

"I think that the case against him is weak," she said, "Jason Morgan is nothing but a mindless thug working for a notorious mob kingpin."

Liz sighed.

"Oh he's not really that at all. He's quite sweet and gentle," she said, "and he's always so nice to me."

Alexis narrowed her eyes.

"I thought you were on Lucky's side on this case."

Liz blinked her eyes.

"Oh I am…but don't be too tough on Jason," she said, "I'm sure it's all one big misunderstanding."  
>Alexis rolled her eyes upward. Really she couldn't ever quite figure Liz out. On a good day, she was a flake, on her worst she was some kind of borderline personality.<p>

"O…kay Liz but when Lucky retained me, I promised him a vigorous defense. I intend to keep that promise."

The nurse nodded quickly.

"Oh yeah sure…just don't hurt Jason. Please. He's really a…"

Alexis put her hand up.

"A nice guy…sure whatever," she said, "but I still have a job to do…"

Liz brightened.

"Sure you do…I understand."

Then her eye wandered across the room, widening and a smile lit her face. Alexis followed her line of sight.

Nikolas had just entered the bar room and like that, Liz was gone.

* * *

><p>Jason sauntered into the bar past Derek Wells with Sam walking one step behind him. He, in a tux. She in a black strapless dress and stiletto heels.<p>

Carlos arched his brows and whistled.

"Que guapa senorita… who is she?"

Derek shook his head.

"I don't know. I think the man with her is Jason Morgan. He works for Sonny Corinthoes as a security guard on his coffee shipments."

Carlos smirked.

"You mean his mysterious shipments," he said, "where the coffee's used to hide it."

Derek nodded and watched the dark haired woman follow Jason to the bar where they stood next to Alexis. He couldn't take his eyes off the women, as they fascinated him though they didn't look that comfortable together.

"What are you looking at boss?"

Derek took a moment to answer.

"I don't know…"

Jason ordered a seltzer water and told Taggart to pour Sam a beer on tap. She picked up her glass and sipped from it, glancing up occasionally at Jason. Alexis sipped her own drink waiting for the onslaught from Jason. After all she was representing Lucky in the admin hearing.

"Hello Mr. Morgan…"

He grunted while drinking his seltzer but Sam glared at Alexis.

"This coming from the woman trying to throw him to the PD…just because he got beat up by a corrupt officer."

Alexis sighed.

"Just trying to be polite. Look Ms. McCall is it? I know you're involved with Mr. Morgan but I have a job to do and I plan to do it."

Jason shrugged. Sam just narrowed her eyes.

"Really…even though you're defending the dirty cop who assaulted him without any reason."

Alexis pursed her lips.

"He was detaining him for questioning and Mr. Morgan resisted and so far he hasn't denied it."

Jason shrugged again.

"Nothing to deny. I did it. I did what I had to do."

Sam sighed at him frustrated and then looked back at Alexis.

"You can't use that against him."

Alexis stared right back at her.

"I don't need to use it. I have enough already. Lucky will be back on the force within a week and Mr. Morgan here might be facing criminal charges."

Sam sneered.

"Like what?"

Alexis counted them on her fingers.

"Resisting arrest, battery of a peace officer, disorderly conduct, possession of…"

Sam put a hand up.

"Hold it…he hasn't been charged with anything yet and it's because the case against him is BS. Look I understand you're defending Lucky but if you heard Jason's side of the story…"

Alexis just looked her in the eye.

"Sam…don't say anything else. Jason needs to find himself an attorney and that would be my advice."

Sam fell silent, drinking from her glass again.

"Whatever…but he's innocent. He's done nothing wrong and he'll prove it."

Jason didn't respond, still focused on his seltzer while his date stood there defending him.

* * *

><p>Dinner was the usual three courses with a salad of five different kinds of lettuce, various vegetables and mandarin orange slices then soup, and a choice of prime steak or poached salmon for the main course with potatoes and a vegetable medley. The hosts provided an orchestra to set an ambient mood while the guests ate dinner and talked at their tables. Alexis found her sitting with Jax among a local TV actress and her golf pro husband and the mayor and his university professor wife. Fortunately not the mayor she'd slept with some years ago during a blackout period.<p>

Before dessert arrived, the actress started hitting on Jax who flashed his dimples but didn't encourage her flirtation. So the woman turned to Alexis.

"So how long have you two been together," a woman asked.

Alexis looked over at the actress whose name escaped her mostly because she watched very little television.

"We've been working together on some business mergers including our marriage."

The woman looked nonplussed but Felicia sitting at the same table let out a guffaw.

"Good one Alexis…"

The actress flashed a look of irritation then continued with her questions. Alexis found her quite annoying. Unfortunately there wasn't a parapet to shove her off of at the hotel.

"So you two were married? But you aren't currently married?"

Alexis smirked.

"Brilliant deduction. Damn you're smart."

The actress beamed at what she thought was a compliment.

"No I mean…together…he's been quite the player you know…"

Oh didn't she, Alexis thought, she knew that about Jax when he'd been a playboy back in the day but he was her best friend forever, one of two men who never judged her, never tried to change her and in fact encouraged her to define and embrace her own identity.

The other one, also an award recipient had been a no show at the event so far. Probably off on one of his vagabond adventures which took him away from PC for months on end.

"We're not dating…we're no longer married. We're just friends and occasional business partners."

Felicia nodded, but the actress just stared at her.

"So he's available then? You don't mind if I…he head off to a private party afterward on the Lido floor?"

Alexis almost spit out her drink. She covered it with a smile.

"You'll have to run that past him," she said, "I don't book his dates for him."

The actress returned to feasting on her stringy salad greens. Jax just looked over at Alexis and smiled.

This gala was already turning into a long night and they were barely through the main course…

* * *

><p>Derek looked at his watch as he awaited the awards portion of the evening to begin but instead the dining guests were being treated with a two bit comedian with some wooden puppet called Mr. Marbles on stage.<p>

Most people ignored it sticking to private conversations and eating the dinner served on china in front of them.

* * *

><p>Lucy glanced over at Felicia. Her husband Kevin was receiving an award in the psychiatric division and she'd dressed to the nines but Felicia had noticed her flirting with Scotty who was dining at a separate table with Bobbie.<p>

Felicia wanted to head on home to her girls but Lucy? She just wanted to party. She wanted her friend to join with her after dessert.

"I'll probably be leaving after this is over. You hit the parties for both of us."

Lucy scoffed.

"Party pooper…"

Felicia looked serious.

"Kevin's not into that and since you chose to spend your life with him, why would you want to send him home alone? You're a married woman now."

Lucy stabbed her rubber Swiss steak with her fork.

"I know but that doesn't mean I can't have some fun. I've still got a lot of life left in me."

Felicia just shook her head.

* * *

><p>Derek glanced at the table and the women chatting. Alexis sat there too not seeming to pay much attention to any of that. Her date Jax, chatting up with some man he knew to be Kevin Collins.<p>

No matter where he focused his attention it always returned to her and he didn't understand why. She was one of a roster of recipients honored tonight and yet…none of the others attracted his attention in the same way. She didn't seem to notice him at all intent on those sitting around her or disappearing into her own thoughts.

The beautiful woman sitting across the room didn't fit into his overall plans for the evening. He'd made a deal with a powerful man who'd contacted him with some information for him at a price.

He didn't know how high a price but it'd taken one simple word dropped by the mysterious man for him to agree to it, without even asking what he'd have to give in exchange. It'd been like he'd been wandering through a blistering desert and someone had offered him a drink of spring water.

What would a thirsty man stranded in endless desert pay to quench his parched throat with a glass of water?

That's the price Derek would pay for the information this man had teased him with, only he hadn't seen him yet.

All he saw in front of him was a woman who he felt inexplicably drawn to in ways that didn't make any sense. But he had a job to do and that meant ignoring everything else.

* * *

><p>The woman with the veil turned toward her companion in the suite they shared as he poured himself another drink from the wet bar. He arched a brow at her.<p>

"I thought you were leaving…"

She snarled.

"How can I when he's out there acting so reckless?"

The man nodded slightly.

"I didn't anticipate his actions or that he'd try to contact his individual. Who is he?"

The woman sighed.

"It doesn't matter. He will be stopped before he can be successful."

The man put his glass down on the table and leaned closer to her.

"Stopped from doing what? What has he got planned?"

The woman went to refresh her glass of Vodka before returning to the chaise. She stroked the rim of her goblet thoughtfully.

"Something…happened years ago. Something your father did without telling me. Something that he wants to alter the balance of…but he can't succeed. He must not succeed…"

"But what?"

"Something you need not know about but your father had his reasons…"

He leaned closer.

"What's this all about?"

She sipped her drink thoughtfully before answering.

"I can not ever tell you…"


	7. Chapter 7

Alexis sat on a bundle of nerves as she awaited the emcee to announce the recipients of the awards. Silly, she told herself since there was no suspense involved in the proceedings. All she had to do was navigate the lit path to the stage in her heels and smile at the guests while she pretended to be thrilled at the honor bestowed on her. After that she'd pose with the president of the foundation with her cheap plaque before heading back to her seat.

Really, even as she sat at the table reading her bio in the program, she really didn't want to be seated here when she could be at home eating microwave popcorn in front of the television of LA LAW marathons.

"You nervous?"

She glanced over at Jax who had a grasp of the obvious but he knew her best of all the men in her life save Stefan and perhaps Luke. The latter had been astute enough to boycott the gala tonight so she imagined his son Lucky might accept his award on his behalf. But Lucky was one troubled soul.

"I'm not really. I just don't like these type of events," she said, "Too stuffy and no one here really cares about any of us unless they need help or money…and as far as knowing us…"

Jax smiled, dimples showing. Damn he was charming when he looked at her like that. She was lucky to walk away from their marriage without getting into trouble.

"What's there to know? What's in the bio is all that matters to them…"

She traced the rim of her glass.

"There's so much they don't know," she said, "There's a lot you don't know either. If they knew some of these things…"

Jax smiled softly.

"They don't know the real story about any of us. Just the superficial facts. That's the only part that matters."

Alexis couldn't argue against his logic. She sipped her drink thoughtfully.

"I did some foolish things in my life Jax. I don't want anyone to know about them."

He nodded.

"Fair enough. But all they're going to say is what a brilliant attorney you are before they introduce you. All you have to do is walk up there and smile like a million bucks. That's enough to make them happy."

Alexis sipped her drink again.

"I know you're right. I've just been in this mood all day since…"

But she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Something had changed and memories that she thought she'd stashed away deep inside of her had resurfaced. She couldn't let that happen to her. She remembered what had happened to her when the memories of her mother's murder at Helena's hand had flooded back…it'd nearly driven her insane.

Alexis valued her sanity above everything else.

* * *

><p>Derek watched the awards ceremony get underway and watched as Tracy walked up with A.J. to receive a philanthropy award, sensing the tension between the two Qs. Ned had wisely sat it out with a glass of Scotch on the rocks from the sidelines. Some redhead named Skye Chandler sat with him looking awfully bored while downing wine spritzers like they were shots of water. She'd be wasted pretty soon.<p>

Monica Q had gotten an honorary award for being chief of staff during a crisis at GH. Her husband, Allan and daughter Emily applauded dutifully when she went up to collect it. Nikolas the crown prince of the Cassadine business empire looked bored and actually sent his girlfriend to fetch his plaque for him.

Alexis just sat there, some tension in her body while she chatted with her date, Jax. Derek guessed she didn't like her surroundings and wished to be elsewhere. He understood how she felt as he thought back to his original plans to remain in NYC but his contact had been insistent.

The two must meet and when he heard the stakes involved, he couldn't say no. It involved the one element missing in his new life that he'd made while reinventing himself.

But where was the mysterious man who'd told him to meet him here? So far he hadn't surfaced.

He was pressed for time. One night in PC was risky enough, anything more than that was downright suicidal.

Still he couldn't take his eyes off her and didn't know why. Someone jostled his arm and he turned to see Carlos staring at him.

"I did what you wanted boss. I snapped photos of all the people going home with trinkets tonight."

Derek nodded absently. Carlos continued paying little attention.

"I think that Sonny Corinthoes is mentally unstable," he said, "He had a tantrum in the bar earlier. His moll, Carly what's her name had to keep him under control."

"I see…he's not our concern at the moment. Covering this event is more important."

Carlos shifted his posture giving his boss a knowing look.

"So you say but you're meeting with that stranger aren't you? That might change everything."

Derek sighed.

"It won't. It's completely separate from what we're planning. It won't jeopardize it. I can promise you that."

Carlos looked skeptical.

"So you say….

Derek shot his eyes up momentarily.

"I guarantee it. The news he has for me has…nothing to do with our operation. It's…personal in nature."

That of course caught Carlos' interest.

"What is it boss?"

Derek glanced over at Alexis.

"I can't tell you. I can't tell anyone."

After all that had been part of the deal and Derek had no intentions of breaking it.

* * *

><p>Alexis had allowed her mind to wander during the award ceremony. She'd smiled as Ned remained in his seat while his mother and uncle went to accept awards. Ever the gatekeeper after all even if he hadn't reciprocated and helped Alexis do like with her own family. For Ned, it'd been a one way partnership and she'd learned to live with that.<p>

She'd left him at the altar after all, unable to marry him.

She mentally revisited the legal files in her office cabinet once more while the emcee droned more names to drag onto the stage. She glanced out at the audience sitting at tables still nibbling on dinner until she saw him.

Derek Wells. The man she'd met up with at a pool table until Coleman spoiled her fun. He wasn't bad to look at, quite good looking actually. Yeah he said he was there to cover the awards gala but something about him…it made her wonder if that was a cover story for something else.

"You're looking at the guy over there like you want to eat him."

She looked up at Lucy.

"Excuse me?"

The other woman laughed.

"He's got nice abs and a nice package," Lucy said, "but why has he interested you?"

Alexis looked nonplussed.

"No reason…I met up with him earlier at Coleman's bar. He shoots a mean game of pool."

Lucy chortled.

"Anything else?"

Alexis couldn't respond to that. She didn't know how, the words didn't come to her. Lucy just sipped her drink going back to making eyes at who else but Scotty Baldwin, the smarmy lawyer who owned a corner office in the seedier section of the waterfront.

The man disgusted her. He'd made a pass and she'd nearly slapped him. Lucy for some reason seemed wrapped up in him because she shared some sort of history with the slime bag.

* * *

><p>Sam had been sitting with Jason in the audience. He'd been motionless like a statue, not taking much interest in the events in front of him. One of his moods, she imagined because he'd been under pressure from the board of rights hearing involving the alleged assault against Lucky. She couldn't believe that uptight lawyer that Sonny often talked about had signed on to represent the cop.<p>

Jason had just shrugged, not seeming to care whether he was proven guilty or innocent. Leaving any concern about it up to her and she was more than ready and willing to take up his fight. She would help find him another attorney to represent him. Scott Baldwin maybe, though the thought made her grimace.

Or the new ball busting attorney who'd just hung her shingle up by the name Dianne Miller. But though she brought an impressive resume to town, she'd also brought the highest retainer fee.

Still maybe if she took on a few more cons…she could save up a deposit on Jason's legal defense and cut a deal with Dianne for the rest.

She had to find a way to free him from this crisis.

"Jason?"

He grunted and then glanced at her.

"What is it?"

She bit her lip thoughtfully.

"I was just thinking about getting you an attorney."

He blinked his eyes.

"Why?"

"Because these are serious charges and Alexis is working against us…"

Jason shook his head.

"No she's just doing her job as Lucky's attorney. I don't need an attorney. Sonny's working on it."

She furrowed her brow.

"Really? I thought he was upset with you over it. Said you brought too much attention to his…coffee business."

"No, that's under the bridge"

Sam folded her arms.

"Really…I'm going to call this Dianne tomorrow. She doesn't have to know anything about Sonny's…coffee business…"

Jason put his hand up.

"Sam I can handle it…just leave it to me."

She stared at him, shaking her head in disbelief.

"You'll do anything to protect him won't you," she said, "even if it costs you your freedom."

Jason shrugged.

"It will get taken care of, end of story…"

Sam just looked at him, threw her napkin down and after finishing her Scotch left him at the table.

* * *

><p>Brenda stood in the lounge area waiting for Ric to return. He'd left her standing there while taking a phone call. Told her before leaving it'd just take a few minutes.<p>

That had been an hour ago.

She paced the lounge nursing a whisky sour and not her first one of the night. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw the other men looking at her. She knew what they wanted was her between the sheets. She was just so frigging hot. Sonny hadn't realized it attaching himself to that trailer trash Caroline Benson who tried to distance herself from her roots. But you couldn't put lipstick on a sow and you couldn't primp up a cheap tramp.

An older woman walked up to her and appraised her coolly.

"Who are you?"

Brenda noticed the woman wore a veil. She seemed to be in her sixties but had a regal air about her though not much of her face showed. Her silver hair was styled elegantly and her outfit had to be personally designed for her. The woman oozed power and money edged with something far more dangerous.

She smiled slightly.

"I'm Brenda Barrett," she said, "I am waiting for my date."

The woman barely nodded, looking at her with obvious disdain.

"You're not the woman I'm looking for," she said, "You look too gaudy and cheap…"

Brenda arched her brows, not expecting that insult.

"I beg your pardon…"

The woman flashed her a haughty look.

"You should be begging in the streets," she said, "A common woman from yourself one or two generations removed from peasantry."

Brenda stood up straight.

"Excuse me?"

The woman leaned closer and her voice turned icy.

"I'd have slit your throat back in the day for that impudent look you gave me…but I've mellowed in my older age."

Brenda smirked.

"You can't do it. We're in a public place."

The older woman smiled, her eyes frosty.

"This is a private party you've wandered into my dear. You'd best find your date soon or he find you…"

Brenda reared back but something in the woman's eyes stopped her. There was nothing there remotely resembling warmth. Brenda knew instinctively the woman had killed before probably over nothing. She waved her hand.

"Whatever…"

She walked away from the older woman just shaking her head as a blonde woman passed her with a dress that her curvy body hugged snugly. Brenda didn't recognize her but figured it wasn't any of her business and she wandered off to find her way back to the ballroom. Annoyance at Ric filled her because she figured he must have gone off to track down Liz, the woman who'd been his first choice.

She was a stand in for the passively acting nurse and wasn't accustomed to that. Maybe if she saw Sonny…he'd kick his shrewish moll wannabe with cheap labeled attire to the curb and put her first.

* * *

><p>Alexis received her award and said all the right things before taking a graceful exit from the spotlight and heading back to her seat. She handed her plaque to Jax who gave her a hug and decided she needed to get some fresh air.<p>

She walked out of the ballroom and wound up walking into a lounge where she saw people gathering as if socializing in close proximity to a wet bar. Some men sat in the center smoking Cuban cigars no doubt.

The woman at the entrance looked up at her, dressed in her tidy waiter uniform and asked her what she needed.

"I'm Alexis Davis…I didn't know this is a private party."

The woman became friendlier and Alexis didn't know why. She recognized a few faces in the room, some of the movers and shakers of PC who were no doubt wheeling and dealing. She'd been privy to some of these private parties while working for a law firm in Manhattan several years.

"It's open to invited guests only…"

Alexis shrugged.

"I was just getting some fresh air."

The woman nodded and stepped out of the doorway. Alexis glanced around the spacious lounge.

About a half dozen men dressed in suits, holding glasses and talking with each other. A buffet table awaited, filled with many foods she'd seen photos of in magazines but had never tasted. A man tended the wet bar fixing drinks and the women, were all beautiful and very stylishly dressed.

She saw a familiar face that belonged to Ben Floyd businessman and aspiring politician who walked towards her. He then slipped his arms around her to kiss her softly on the mouth, a polite greeting which didn't entirely feel that way. The cologne he favored drifted to her and she felt her heartbeat quicken. She didn't like the vibe she picked up from him.

"It's all right," he said, "Just trust me and do as I say and you'll have a stimulating time."

Her brows furrowed at that but he stroked the lines out of her face with his fingers before drifting them down her neck, in a smug fashion.

"You're so beautiful…"

She gritted her teeth at him.

"Get your hands off my face. Look I know you bought up a huge chunk of the water front but that doesn't make me your property."

He reared back in mocking fashion. Oh, she wanted to slap him. Then he walked off to join a group of men and a couple of the women sidled up to her.

"You know Mr. Floyd?"

Alexis glanced at a redheaded woman dressed in a deep blue dress who called herself Sydney.

"Yes I do."

"He's a very successful, very virile man," Sydney said, "You have to be on your toes with him."

She sounded as if she spoke from experience and Alexis nudged the feeling of nausea rising up in her throat.

"What's your drink?"

Alexis thought about it as the man waited.

"Some white wine would be nice."

She wasn't ready for more of the hard stuff yet.

He prepared it for her and she sipped it, feeling the warmth permeate her body, and yeah, she began to mellow out a bit. A man with brown hair sprinkled with grey and a sharply lined face walked up to her.

"I've never seen you here before."

She sipped her wine again, checking out his lean but athletic build as if he played racquet ball or tennis.

"I was just getting some fresh air."

He seemed to approve of her answer.

"I'm Roger Myers," he said, "I'm the CEO of Code Red Electronics. We just bought some warehouse space near the docks."

She'd heard about his company, one of the fastest rising firms in the Eastern seaboard.

"I'm Alexis Davis. I'm a lawyer in town."

He arched his brows as he sipped his drink.

"You look very pretty Alexis," he said, "I'll definitely keep that in mind later on."

She frowned.

"Later on…?"

He nodded.

"Oh this is your first soiree isn't it," he said, "You'll find it's not all formality."

Derek Wells of all people walked up to them just then and looked at him as in challenge, and Alexis's heart skipped a beat then.

"Hey she's an honoree at the hotel," he said, "So treat her with respect."

Roger just glanced back at him.

"Of course…but I might want to talk to you later on."

Derek just put his hand in the small of Alexis's back and she felt the heat rise in her when he made that small gesture. She had no idea what was going on here but it looked like that Derek had marked his territory where no other man could cross and placed her in the middle of it. No, that wasn't it at all. He was just trying to be nice but she didn't need his protection. She'd navigated through much more tricky circumstances.

"My answer will still be no."

Alexis glanced from one man to the other. But Roger just nodded and walked away. She looked up at Derek in question.

"What was that about?"

He sighed.

"Roger likes young women a lot," he said, "I was telling him you were not available."

Alexis smiled at him, her posture still on guard because after all she didn't know him either.

"I guess you're right about that but how do you know him?"

Derek pursed his lips.

"I just do…I did business with him a while back. I picked up one of his companies at a good price."

She sipped her drink.

"I can imagine. Look I just came here to get some fresh air."

He nodded at her.

"I see. I'll let you do that," he said, "I'm here to cover the awards ceremony which you seem to have ditched."

She waved her hand dismissively.

"It was getting stuffy in that room…"

"I can't argue with that," he said, "I'd like to interview you later…just a few questions."

She looked indecisive.

"I'm not sure about that. What kind of questions?"

He smiled.

"Just the usual questions about what made you the success you are today," he said, "Nothing too personal if that's your concern."

She shook her head quickly enough.

"Oh not…I'm not worried," she said, "I'm just not an interesting subject."

He tilted his head, shifting his body slightly. Muscular frame but light on his feet like a panther in the jungle.

"I beg to differ…but that's my job."

She nodded, with a smile.

"I'll think about it. I'm a rather private person."

He took that response well and left her alone to mingle with the other guests. She stood there as Roger approached her again with a couple more drinks in him. He slinked up to her like a sleazebag.

"You know what they say about a woman's mouth," He said, "It's like that other piece of her, nice pink soft lips the gateway to her secrets and her warmth, you'll know what I mean by the end of the weekend."

She jerked away from him.

"What the hell kind of line is that? Are you crazy?"

He gently stroked a tendril of hair off of her face and then brushed her skin with his knuckles.

"You ever sucked a man off?"

She just slapped him on the face hard for that. He touched his cheek gingerly not looking too upset. Either he was used to the rebuttal or he was pretty liquored up. She didn't care which. She was imagining a parapet she wanted to shove him off of already.

He reached his hand to touch her face, and like quicksilver she grabbed it before he succeeded, then she twisted it and squeezed it. His face grimaced into pain and he yanked it away from her.

"Okay I get the message. You're one of those frigid bitches who'll bite a man's balls off…"

Alexis let him go, not eager to challenge his perception of her. He crawled away from her to nurse his wounds.

Sam McCall walked up to her shaking her head. Where she had come from, Alexis wondered.

"Men…they talk about business and expect us to be waiting for them when they finish with our mouths open."

Alexis just looked at the young woman in front of her she barely knew except in passing.

"I wouldn't know…I just wandered in here."

"You know what it's about," Sam said, "We know what they're negotiating about right now and that creep who came onto you is in on it."

Alex looked at her perplexed.

"What the hell do you mean?"

Sam rolled her eyes.

"Oh you don't know about these parties do you?"

Alexis shook her head.

"That's too bad," Sam said, "Because it's probably you they're talking about now."

"Me?"

Sam nodded.

"You're the novelty after all," she said, "So you're the one they want."

Alexis felt her chest tighten suddenly.

"What…what are you talking about?"

The two women looked at each other.

"The men all have suites here," she said, "But what they're discussing now is which one you'll be sleeping in tonight."

Alexis felt shock hit her.

"What…what the hell are you talking about?"

Sam tried to soften her words with a smile.

"I wouldn't worry about it, it's just what they do," she said, "I'd tell them all to get lost but that's just me."

Alexis didn't know what to say, how to respond to the candor of what the women told her. She watched the men talk, their faces grow animated.

"I wouldn't go with any of them."

Sam shrugged.

"Doesn't look like that'll be the issue, "he said, "One of them is coming over here."

Alexis looked up at Derek as he approached, arching an eyebrow. He approached her suddenly standing beside her.

"You trust me don't you?"

She looked at him carefully.

"I don't trust anyone."


	8. Chapter 8

Alexis looked at Derek.

"Excuse me?"

He looked at her and smiled, his eyes crinkling.

"I was looking for you. I thought I might ask you some questions if you have the time. All related to the gala of course."

She paused, glancing at Sam who had been clueing her in about the purpose of this party. Sam just looked at both of them.

"I'm busy right now. Can't it wait?"

He nodded.

"You're attending this party here?"

Alexis bit her lip.

"Yes…no I just wandered in here on the way to get fresh air. The ballroom's quite stuffy."

"I see but this is a party where illicit activity is taking place," he said, "My guess at best prostitution, at worst human sex trafficking."

Alexis blanched. Sam didn't look surprised.

"Sex trafficking? You can't be serious."

He tilted his face.

"I am serious. I am familiar with the history of Port Charles especially when it comes to organized crime families. Frank Smith…the Jeromes…"

Alexis flashed a look of distaste.

"The Jeromes were notorious criminals but they're all dead aren't' there?"

Derek paused looking down at his hands a moment.

"Yes they are…but their territory was taken over by the Corinthoes organization."

Alexis harrumphed.

"You mean Sonny the coffee importer and restaurant owner."

Derek sighed.

"That's all he's involved in and you know it."

Sam interrupted, staring at him.

"How do you know it? Mr…what was it again?"

He didn't miss a beat.

"Mr. Wells…but you can call me Derek…"

Sam nodded slightly.

"All right Derek…what do you know about Sonny?"

Derek pursed his lips while looking at both women. Two beautiful women both with that determined look in their eyes. No escaping it…or either one of them.

"He's into women…girls actually," he said, "He ran a strip club and pumped his under aged dancers with drugs to get them to take their clothes off…"

Alexis frowned.

"What club?"

"They shut it down but he took his operation underground…"

Alexis looked incredulous.

"I can't believe it…"

Sam just shook her head.

"I can…and that's why Jason won't get a lawyer…"

Alexis turned to her.

"He needs one but that's his own decision…"

Sam nodded.

"He's stubborn but he said nothing about prostitution or trafficking…but then he's all about protecting Sonny ever since he took him under his wing after the accident…

Derek looked at her, seeing the distraught look she tried to hide. Clearly Sam loved this Jason even if he seemed to be on the wrong side of the law.

"Well Sonny's in it pretty heavily. This party here is being run by his organization to recruit more young women into prostitution or worse…"

Alexis studied his face.

"Why are you so concerned about it?"

He rubbed his forehead with several fingers.

"I believe men in this business are the scum of the earth," he said, "Victimizing innocent people."

Alexis shook her head.

"I just can't believe that about Sonny. I've been helping him with a troubled young employee of his, Zander Smith. He seems concerned about him."

Sam shrugged.

"Who said a mobster don can't care about someone outside the business?"

Alexis bit her lip.

"I didn't…but this…is just hard to believe."

Sam rolled her eyes at her.

"Why? He's in the mob. He's either dealing guns, women or drugs."

Alexis narrowed her eyes.

"Okay…I'm going to have to turn down his job offer if he's involved in any of that."

Sam shrugged.

"It's up to you," she said, "So…Derek when you're done here, you taking off?"

He nodded.

"I'm just here on assignment. My entertainment reporter took a last minute job in L.A."

Carlos walked up to him.

"Boss we have a problem…"

Derek turned to him.

"What is it?"

Carlos glanced at the two women.

"We need to talk outside. It's about some…photographs."

Derek paused then nodded.

"Ah yes…excuse us…"

Alexis watched the two men leave the room then turned to Sam.

"So you were saying?"

Sam folded her arms.

"He's right about this party," she said, "so when some man approaches you remember that."

Sam wandered off across the room.

* * *

><p>Derek talked to Carlos in the hallway outside the party lounge.<p>

"What is it?"

Carlos sighed.

"I lost Ava…"

Derek felt impatience rush through him.

"What do you mean you lost Ava?"

Carlos looked away from his boss.

"She disappeared into a crowd after the awards ceremony finally broke," he said, "Then she disappeared near an elevator. She must be meeting with the buyer."

Derek sighed.

"Damn I know she's up to something. I don't know what. But we need to know the identity of this buyer."

Carlos gestured to the longue.

"Did I interrupt anything back there?"

Derek paused and shook his head.

"No…some illicit party probably tracing back to the Corinthoes organization but Alexis Davis and another young woman were there. At least now they know…"

Carlos arched his brows.

"They didn't?"

"Alexis was in denial about Sonny's illicit side. But the other woman with her didn't seem surprised."

Carlos nodded.

"You mean Samantha McCall."

"You know here?"

Carlos smiled.

"I found her in my research due to her association with Morgan."

Derek shook his head.

"They should both stay away from Sonny's business. His real business. The man hands out candy to children at annual Easter parties but in the meantime…"

Carlos grimaced.

"He traffics in women and girls."

Derek rubbed his jaw with his thumb.

"Do you have any idea where Ava might have gone?"

Carlos threw up his hands.

"No idea. The buyer's supposed to be a woman. Very, very wealthy. She might have a suite upstairs."

"Go check it out," he said, "In the meantime I need to meet with contact."

Carlos patted him on the shoulder.

"Good luck boss…"

"Hopefully I won't need it."

* * *

><p>Alexis felt her chest tighten suddenly as she looked at Sam.<p>

"What…what are you talking about?"

The two women looked at each other.

"The men all have suites here," she said, "But what they're discussing now is which one you'll be sleeping in tonight."

Alexis felt shock hit her.

"What…what the hell are you talking about?"

Sam tried to soften her words with a smile.

"I wouldn't worry about it, it's just what they do," she said, "But if it's not your thing, you might want to leave."

Alexis didn't know what to say, how to respond to the candor of what Sam told her. She watched the men talk, their faces grow animated except for Derek's which remained calm. That's how she knew what he discussed was akin to business dealings.

"I really don't think…"

Sam shrugged.

"I'll leave you find out for yourself," she said, "That Roger guy is coming over here."

Alexis looked up at Roger as he approached, arching an eyebrow. His eyes swam over her body as he cleared his throat

"It's time to leave now."

"Excuse me?"

He sighed and Sam nodded slightly to Alexis.

"You're going to be with me tonight. It's all arranged."

She arched a brow.

"Are you delusional? I am not leaving with anyone but my date."

He furrowed his brow.

"Date? Oh well I wasn't told you scored a customer before this party."

Alexis just dropped her mouth open. Sam suppressed a chuckle.

"I told you Alexis…I wasn't pulling one over on you…"

Alexis glared at her and then back at Roger.

"I'm not going anywhere with you. No matter what anyone has told you."

He looked confused.

"How would it be otherwise," she said, "I chose you."

"I didn't choose you…now run along and take it back with you."

His response was to press his body against her after placing his hands on her shoulder.

"You're a very desirable woman," he said, "So soft, so sexy in that dress and every man in there wanted you."

She swallowed back a lump that had risen in her throat.

"But they can't have you," he said, "and that body of yours, this weekend it's mine."

She shot him a look that would freeze a city.

"I don't think so, now get off of me."

"But…I'm really not that bad darling…"

She smiled, with a hint of malice.

"But I am…"

With that, she shoved him off of her hard enough so she had space to knee him in his most sensitive spot. Soon enough he'd lost interest in her and was writhing on the ground, grabbing where her knee had landed.

Sam raised her brows.

"Not bad…

* * *

><p>Mac's pager buzzed while he was sitting with Felicia in the ballroom finishing dessert in a nearly empty room. The awards ceremony had mercifully ended. Felicia glanced at his irritated face.<p>

"What is it?"

He sighed after reading it.

"Taggart from the bar," he said, "Cat fight breaking out."

Felicia bit back a grin.

"Usual suspects?"

He nodded and Felicia rubbed his shoulder.

"My money's on Brenda then. You run along. I'll order this dessert tray to go."

He smiled and pecked her on the lips.

"Thanks babe…I'll try not wrap this up real quick."

Felicia sighed as she watched him leave the ballroom filled with purpose. She turned her attention back to the fruit tart in front of her.

* * *

><p>Roger finally recovered and scrambled onto his hands and feet as Alexis turned to leave. He tried to grab her ankle, missed the first time and then grabbed her leg. Pulling on her, he tried to make her fall but Alexis spun around quickly and kicked him in the torso with her other heel.<p>

She struggled to keep from falling as she tried to get him to let go of her leg. But Roger was ticked off at his humiliation in front of the other party "guests" and wanted to get his payback.

"Wait until I…"

Alexis fell on the floor, not so gracefully. Roger tried to grab on her but Alexis still wore her purse that matched her dress. As he tried to grab her arms, she deflected him and reached into her purse. But he grabbed it and threw it out of her reach.

Damn, she needed to get in there to get her…

"Hey you get off of her."

Sam's voice and Alexis looked up at her, while Roger grabbed one of her arms.

"My purse…"

Sam nodded quickly and kicked it towards her and Alexis reached for it quickly. After fumbling inside, she pulled it out.

Her ice pick.

She brandished it and Roger just sneered.

"I'm not impressed…"

She smiled her eyes flashing.

"The point might be small in diameter but it's still very sharp," she said, "and it'll lobotomize that tiny brain of yours very quickly without leaving a scar."

He blanched a bit.

She pounced on top of him pinning him to the ground with the weight of her knees.

"It can also make short work of your carotid or brachial arteries…bleed you quickly that way…"

She traced the tip gently from where the artery pulsated on his neck, towards the shoulder. He flinched and tried to move.

"Or I could hit elsewhere…you're done siring kids already aren't you?"

He gulped at that as she knew that he would, as most men would sacrifice almost any other body part.

"No…don't…"

She leaned a bit closer.

"No don't…what?"

"I….I didn't mean it," he said, "Just let me go and I won't bother you…"

"Promise me that you'll leave this party and not bother anyone…"

He nodded quickly and she released him just as quickly as she'd caught him. He sprung to his feet and hightailed it out of there. Sam reached out a hand to help Alexis on her feet.

"Not bad for an overpriced lawyer…"

Alexis just shook her head and headed out of the room, way from the party.

* * *

><p>Brenda had paid a lot of money for her extensions, most of which were now gripped in the claws of former trailer park trash and current mobster moll Carly Benson. That's how Brenda read her opponent, poor breeding, tawdry background and having a perpetual bad hair day.<p>

"Why you…"

Carly dangled the extensions in front of her haughtily.

"You see this is why Sonny wants me more than you because I'm not polite when someone goes after what's mine."

Brenda laughed, despite her destroyed hair.

"Damn you bitch. I'm not after Sonny," she said, "I'm here with Ric."

Carly spat.

"Sonny's brother Ric who's only interested in you because you screwed Sonny."

Ric who walked up with Liz chastised her.

"Now Carly that's not true. I really care about Brenda…"

She pointed a finger at him.

"Now if that were true why are you with Liz right now?"

Ric and Liz glanced at each other. Liz smiled.

"We ran into each other on the way out of the ballroom and were just catching up."

Carly snorted.

"I bet…"

Ric said under his breath.

"I imagine Sonny would really be enjoying this if he were here."

Carly and Brenda spun around on him.

"What did you say," both in unison.

He pulled at his tuxedo tie.

"Oh nothing…Brenda maybe we should get going before the cops break this up."

Brenda's lip quivered.

"But my hair…she…."

Ric patted her on the shoulder.

"I'm sure you can get that fixed…"

Mac walked up to them just then, looking very concerned especially when he saw Brenda's hair.

"What's this? I got reports from security of a fight?"

Ric stepped forward.

"The security…they were exaggerating…as you can see no fight."

Mac looked doubtful.

"Brenda's hair…"

Ric shrugged.

"She caught it on…something."

Mac looked at all of them and finally nodded, resigned.

"Okay so no one's talking," he said, "I can take you all down to the station but instead I'm going to overlook this incident but Carly…Brenda…if you feel upset with each other about something, Kevin Collins runs a wonderful mediation program."

Both women shook their heads. Mac turned to leave them then Taggart came rushing in.

"Mac…glad I caught you…something's up."

The harried commissioner sighed.

"What is it now?"

Taggart paused.

"I received a complaint from a gentleman," he said, "Something about a woman attacking him with an icepick for no reason?"

Mac looked skeptical.

"When a woman goes crazy like that, there's always a reason…"

* * *

><p>Alexis walked out towards the elevator and saw him standing him there. He smiled when he saw her approach.<p>

"Hello Derek…"

"Alexis…we keep running into each other."

She chuckled.

"It seems so. I'm just on my way out of that…party."

Derek digested that.

"Sonny needs to pay for those kinds of 'parties'."

She shrugged.

"I'm still not convinced," she said, "Where are you off to now?"

He hesitated.

"I'm meeting…someone."

She nodded.

"I was just about to head on home," she said, "Do some light reading and drink some Vodka."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Yes…events like these require some unwinding afterward."

He glanced around.

"Your date, Mr. Jacks?"

She smiled.

"He's on a conference call with his brother Jerry."

Derek's brow furrowed.

"Do you know him?"

Derek paused then shook his head.

"Only what I read in the news about him."

Alexis looked over his shoulder and saw two men in security uniforms approach her. Derek followed her line of vision.

"Wonder who they're looking for right now."

Alexis ran a hand through her hair.

"Probably someone who stole some towels. Look it's been nice…"

Just then both security guards approached them. Alexis knew the man had squealed on her and they were hunting for his assailant.

Her.


	9. Chapter 9

Ava sighed as she stood in front of the suite door. The hallway was deserted. The elevator remained quiet. Damn that Carlos for trying to tail her. He'd given it his best but she'd lost him. No one had seen her get into the elevator and ride it to the top floor.

A couple of security guards had met her but they passed her to get to the elevator in a flash. Something must be going on downstairs but that didn't concern her.

No, the buyer waiting inside the suite bothered her.

She'd been eager to sell more paintings for her latest gallery she'd opened in So Ho. It joined a string of them throughout the boroughs of New York City. She especially had been excited about the buyer being interested in one of Franco's paintings. Interest in the artist had picked up when he'd been dragged in for questioning in connection with a string of homicides in the neighborhood but it hadn't yet transferred to his works.

So when someone had called saying a prospective buyer was interested in meeting with her about the paintings, she had jumped on the chance. She hadn't shared it with her associates because she kept her art dealings separate from their operations leading to the bigger objective.

She didn't know whether Franco was innocent of the murders or not and didn't care. After all under the right set of circumstances anyone could commit murder. Some people just deserved to die and some people just got in the way.

She just wondered why the publicity from the police interrogation hadn't increased sales of his artwork. Besides Franco wasn't so bad. After all she'd left him in charge of her own young daughter while she was on this junket.

"Excuse me…"

She turned to face a man with dark hair and olive skin who had somehow crept up behind her. Usually no one could do that. She flipped her hair back.

"Yes…are you looking for someone?"

He smiled. His voice had been clipped betraying an accent. From where she couldn't guess.

"Not really but someone is looking for me," he said, "and who are you looking for? Someone inside this suite?"

Ava furrowed her brow.

"Maybe I'm here to conduct business with someone in this hotel."

The man chuckled.

"So am I. I hope to catch up with him soon," he said, "The evening's wearing on."

Ava pursed her lips at the man dressed in a crisp suit. He had a ring on a finger but she couldn't make out the insignia.

"I'm hoping to wrap up business successfully as well. I'm an art dealer, who runs a string of galleries in the City."

He smiled.

"You're not…Ava Jerome are you?"

She nodded.

"You an art collector yourself?"

"I'm more into sculpture."

She digested that with a smile.

"I do exhibit that discipline of artistry in my galleries but so far mostly acquisitions."

He looked a bit disappointed but she doubted he was in the hotel seeking out artwork. She wondered what he was really doing here.

"I see…well good luck with your endeavor."

Ava tilted her head at him.

"You too…"

He walked down the hallway and turned the corner. Strange, she thought but her focus had to be on her business deal ahead.

* * *

><p>Alexis and Derek watched as the security guards approached. They headed straight towards here which meant that the man she'd threatened to eviscerate with the ice pick had complained to security. What an idiot! He'd grabbed and manhandled her and the party itself had been illegal, but then again Sonny owned a share in the hotel so that and some promises of bonuses might cause his employees to look the other way.<p>

Wait a minute, there was no proof that Sonny had engaged in prostitution or human trafficking. Derek couldn't be right about that. He was looking very interested and not too concerned about the security guards who now stood in front of them. One of them Tucker glanced up and down at her and she wanted to knee him too.

"You on your way anywhere?"

She pressed her lips together.

"I'm on my way to get some fresh air. And you are?"

The two guards looked at each other.

"We're security and we got a complaint of a man assaulted by a woman dressed in black who whipped a knife out of her purse."

Derek's eyes widened slowly.

"A woman welding a knife?"

Alexis folded her arms.

"So why is that my concern? I didn't witness any such thing."

Tucker cleared his throat. The other guard, Green looked uncomfortable and took a breath before speaking.

"The description the victim gave us…looks a lot like you."

Alexis narrowed her eyes.

"There must be some misunderstanding on his part," she said, "He must be confused from the assault."

Green rubbed his forehead.

"You are Alexis Davis aren't you," he said, "A witness identified you as the assailant."

She bit her lip.

"Witness?"

Green nodded.

"A gentleman who wanted his identity kept anonymous but he saw the whole thing."

She put a hand on a hip.

"Maybe he tripped and fell on his own knife," she said, "It probably wouldn't be the first time."

"First time…I thought you weren't there."

She pursed her lips, glancing over at Derek whose attention was focused. She wondered what he was thinking.

"Well, I've heard stories about some of these parties. They attract the wrong crowd."

The two guards looked at each other then Tucker straightened his shoulders.

"The police are on their way to question you," he said, "You need to wait here…"

"But…"

"It shouldn't take long if you're truly innocent."

Alexis sighed. This could get complicated very quickly and being an officer of the court, she didn't want to get called up before the local bar. Scotty would have a field day if he found out.

"Look I can…"

Derek interrupted.

"I believe you have the wrong woman. Ms. Davis is not responsible for any assaults on the premises."

Tucker looked doubtful.

"How can you be sure? She fits the description of the suspect."

Derek smiled.

"Because she's been with me the entire time."

Alexis looked at him, one brow arched.

"I was…"

He nodded. The security men both looked puzzled at that development. Alexis glanced at Derek and decided to play along. Not relishing a trip down to the PD and a hearing in front of the local Bar.

"Yeah…I was with him."

Tucker cleared his throat.

"Really? Where were you going?"

Both answered at the same time.

"He was going interview me…"

"We were going up to my suite…"

Alexis shot him a sharp look. He smiled in response.

"We were going to hold the interview in my suite."

The two security men looked at each other and shrugged. Green looked irritated obviously wanting to haul someone back to his boss.

"Okay then. We'll let you go about your business then."

Derek nodded.

"If you excuse us then…"

Tucker folded his arms.

"Once you are safely on the elevator we'll report back to our supervisor."

Derek looked at Alexis who smiled at the guards as the elevator door opened and they stepped inside.

* * *

><p>Nikolas ditched his date to take a phone call in the hallway. The Caller ID had been marked "unknown" but that could be one of his business customers. After all he had just assumed the CEO position at Cassadine Industries with Grandma Helena's mixed blessings.<p>

He picked up the phone to listen to the voice mail. The voice was unfamiliar, and obviously distorted most likely intentionally.

"Nikolas…I will you this once. There's a threat to your business and family from the branch of a poisonous tree. Watch your back."

After the enigmatic message finished, he stared at his phone. Damn, if he could only recognize the voice. What did it mean, about the threat to him? Not that it rattled him because of the nature of his family ties and inheriting a multi-billion dollar business empire, threats were commonplace and most of them proved empty.

"What the…"

"Nikolas, I looked all over for you…"

He looked up and saw Liz enter the room, a smile on her face. He put his phone away.

"Hi Liz…why did you need to find you?"

Her smile widened and she flipped a tendril of hair back.

"I was just wondering if you were okay. You left abruptly."

Nikolas sighed.

"I had business to conduct. So what did you want to talk about?"

She smacked her lips together.

"I care about you. I do a lot. I know I'm with Lucky but that doesn't change that."

He looked at her cautiously. She had been flirting with him lately but he'd been too distracted with business and blondes to notice.

"I'm okay Liz. I'm doing great," he said, "by the way where's Lucky?"

Liz eyes shone with unshed tears on the brink.

"He's at the bar hitting the vodka again. He's in trouble He got suspended you know."

Nikolas did know because it'd been in all the papers.

"I hope he's got a good lawyer."

She pouted.

"He's got Alexis. I hope she's good enough."

"I know she's good enough and not just because she's my aunt."

Liz tried to smile again but her eyes remained bleak.

"I know Lucky is taking it hard," she said, "and you're his closest friend as his brother. Can you help him?"

Nikolas paused.

"I don't know much about the case," he said, "Just what I read in the papers."

Liz sighed.

"He's very upset right now and he's been drinking a lot…Oh Nikolas I don't know what else to do."

Nikolas had his own problems most notably this vaguely threatening voice mail. But Liz's distress over his brother Lucky affected him.

"I could have a talk with him…but he doesn't always listen to me especially when he's been drinking."

She nodded, with a sigh.

"I know but all we can do is try. Thanks Nick for being here for me…"

She hugged him impulsively and that's when Ric walked in on them, watching his unblemished angel, the key to his redemption in the arms of another man.

* * *

><p>The elevator moved up towards the penthouse which housed where Derek had his suite during his stay in Pt. Charles.<p>

Well actually, Alexis hadn't committed herself to an entire weekend in the hotel at all, just a couple of hours for the interview. After all, Derek had provided her with an alibi to the security guards saving her a lot of trouble. She owed him answers to his obligatory questions at least.

Still when the doors closed, cutting them off from the rest of the world, she almost felt like jumping through them at the last minute.

He stood there leaning against the gold plated wall just looking at her…in a way that made her feel more than a little exposed and vulnerable. He was a journalist doing his job for a news article. That was all. Her role was to answer his questions exposing as little about herself as possible. Almost like a game.

Derek looked at her, a smile on his face, and his eyes sparkling but he said nothing…just looked with his hands at his side, no sign of tension.

Unlike her, because she felt like a tightly coiled spring, not knowing what awaited her, what he would do when they stepped over the threshold into the suite and he closed the door behind them. Damn he was fine to look at, she couldn't deny that. The man was so damn fit, his tuxedo molding to his muscular frame. She couldn't keep her eyes off of him.

Then she felt a lurch as the elevator stopped and she gazed around.

"Why are we stopping?"

He tilted his head studying her carefully.

"Because this is an old elevator?"

"Why…?"

He stroked his jaw line with his thumb, his eyes never leaving her.

"It's probably going to start up again soon enough. This building's older than both of us."

She inhaled sharply.

"Oh I don't know about that. It'd better get moving again soon."

He smiled back at her, his back resting against an elevator wall.

"Oh I'm sure it well…soon enough."

She just stared back at him wondering he was up to now.


	10. Chapter 10

Alexis stood next to a man in an elevator that she barely knew. He'd just given her an alibi to avoid being hauled off by two security guards to be questioned about an assault with a deadly weapon that she had indeed committed.

It had mostly been in self-defense but because the whole idea of the party in the town's most renowned hotel ticked her off. Human trafficking and prostitution in the midst of Pt. Charles society. And if it was true that Sonny had his mark on it, well she'd deal with him later.

In the meantime, she had to deal with media mogul Derek Wells who had just lied for her and she didn't know why. She knew his motive for doing it had to be much more than nailing some time with her for an interview. After all, that was just going to be a few inches of fluff buried inside a publication with her trying to come up with clever answers to inane questions.

Right now, she was riding with him in the express elevator up to a suite that he had on the top floor of the high-rise.

He looked at her, a smile on his face, and his eyes sparkling but he said nothing…just looked with his hands at his side, no sign of tension.

Unlike her, because she felt like a tightly coiled spring, not knowing what awaited her, what he would do when they stepped over the threshold into the suite and he closed the door behind them. It had nothing to do with him after all but it annoyed her anyway. She was a woman, a Cassadine who had survived being born and raised in a pit of vipers.

Then she felt a lurch as the elevator stopped and she gazed around.

"Why are we stopping?"

He tilted his head studying her carefully.

"I don't know.…"

"Did you try the buttons?"

He started pressing different ones but naturally nothing happened. The elevator light which read the 10th floor blinked.

"I think we're stuck between two floors."

Alexis threw her hands up in the air.

"That's just great. Isn't there a call button…or phone somewhere?"

He looked around and then glanced up at her.

"Call phone is locked," he said, "but I'll try this button…"

He pressed it and tried alerting whoever might be listening on the other end but after several attempts no one answered.

She folded her arms as he looked back at her.

"No one's home. I guess we'll just have to wait this out until someone can help us or it gets fixed."

She nodded, backing against one of the steel walls.

"I suppose it could be worse…"

He leaned against the opposite wall.

"Getting stuck in an elevator's not the worst thing that could happen."

Her face lightened.

"I know that but it could have been worse. I could have been stuck inside one with Sonny Corinthoes. You know him?"

Derek pursed his lips.

"I've heard of him…"

Alexis continued, her eyes still scanning the elevator looking for a way out that didn't involve ruining her dress.

"Yeah well he's claustrophobic, doesn't like confined spaces and he got stuck in the GH elevator once and I could hear his ranting and yelling in the lobby 10 floors below."

Derek grimaced.

"Then I guess it could be a lot worse. I'm not worried about being confined in small spaces."

She smiled.

"That's a relief. But I hope it doesn't take long for them to get us out of here. What happened? Did they have a power outage?"

"I don't think so. Lights are working on here and they didn't even flicker. Probably a shorted wire."

She sighed as she looked around the confines of the elevator. Like Sonny, she wasn't a fan of confined spaces. She knew all about being locked in closets as a child but she didn't let it run her life. Sometimes…no most of the time Sonny could be such a drama queen.

Derek? He looked completely calm, even as if he were within his element. He took off his jacket and draped it over a railing.

"So how long do you think we'll be trapped here?"

He shrugged.

"Not too long if it's isolated to the elevator. Longer if it's the entire building or the city."

She smiled at him, feeling more relaxed.

"Well, then let's make ourselves comfortable until we do get rescued."

She sat on the floor, her back against the wall, closing her eyes. She did feel a whole lot better.

* * *

><p>In the lobby, chaos erupted. Carly and Brenda had bumped into each other again and within seconds were rolling on the floor tearing at each other's hair and clothing. Someone yelled nearby.<p>

"Cat fight…"

That attracted a crowd and soon security guards were trying to push people back while the two women tussled on the floor. Carly had several inches and some pounds on Brenda but Brenda had just gotten a manicure and her fingernails proved dangerous. Sonny of course stood on the sidelines thoroughly enjoying his wife and ex-girlfriend fighting over him. Liz clutched Ric who had retrieved her from her conversation with Nikolas and had her standing by his side.

Sam walked up to Ric.

"Isn't Brenda your date and you're just standing there getting off on what's happening?"

Ric just smiled.

"Yes that's true. She is my date but she's always had a mind of her own and if this is what she wants to do I can't stop her.

Sam just shook her head, knowing Ric was so like his older brother in many ways.

"Typical…"

She knew she had to find Jason because if Lucky wasn't here then the paths of the two men might have crossed. Lucky had been hitting the liquor pretty hard and with whatever else he might be taking…Jason could be in trouble. So Sam went off looking for him, leaving the rest of the guests to watch the spectacle taking place in front of them.

* * *

><p>Ava entered into the suite and sat in the chaise waiting for her prospective buyer to walk into the room. The décor was contemporary, tasteful and yet Ava's own sense of artistic flavor would have gone in a different direction.<p>

She knew that this buyer wanted to purchase some of Franco's work but she hadn't explained why. Now Ava was as soft on Franco as she'd ever be on a guy but she didn't think he was the most talented of her growing stable of artists. Not to mention he had been moonlighting in areas he wouldn't divulge to her. But judging by the many bodies that had turned up…altered in the So Ho district where he lived, she could only guess that it was possible that he might also be the serial killer who eluded authorities.

After all he was quite secretive when he wasn't at the gallery and sometimes impossible to reach on the phone, but murdering women…that would be more difficult to believe.

Suddenly a woman walked into the room. She was an older woman, distinguished in her choice of attire and her face partially covered by a veil.

Ava's eyes widened.

"Are you….?"

The woman didn't smile, even as she lifted her veil off of her face.

"Yes, I'm Helena Cassadine."

Ava nearly froze in her seat. She'd heard all kinds of stories about the infamous Helena but she thought she'd died not too long ago.

"I thought you…"

Helena sneered.

"The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."

Ava regained her composure. After all there was money to be made here.

"I see…well if you got in touch with me, you must be interested in paintings by the artist called Franco."

Helena sat down in a chair opposite of her.

"Yes I am. One in particular. It's a landscape of the Parthenon in Athens, surely you know of it."

Ava blinked at her in confusion.

"Yes I do…but it is but one of Franco's minor works. He doesn't specialize in landscapes."

Helena waved her hands.

"Yes I know but this is the painting of his that I'm most interested in buying. Is it available for sale?"

Ava still felt puzzled but she recognized the look in Helena's face.

"Well…yes I believe it's still for sale. We can negotiate a price in case other buyers are interested in it."

Helena narrowed her eyes.

"I want it and I'm willing to pay a much higher price for it than your other buyers."

Ava could see that in her voice. If she played her cards right she might get herself a good price on a painting that hadn't generated much buzz elsewhere.

"Okay it's just been appraised and I'm awaiting the value on it," she said, "If you want to wait, I can send you the price."

Helena looked bored.

"I'll pay for it right now. Why wait?"

Ava wondered why Helena was so interested in the painting. She knew that the Cassadines had a lot of disposable income but still…

She smiled back at Helena.

"I see you're quite interested in the painting."

Helena cut to the chase.

"I'll pay a half a million dollars," she said, "if you can deliver it to my suite by tomorrow afternoon."

Ava felt taken aback. Damn that was fast! She didn't even know if she could accomplish that. She still had to negotiate with Franco and he could be so…temperamental especially when in one of his moods.

"I don't know if that's possible," she said, "A couple of days maybe but…"

Helena interrupted.

"Tomorrow afternoon. I would imagine that since I'm sure the appraisal value will be quite a bit lower than my offer that would motivate you to accommodate my request."

Ava could count the money already even though it hadn't been wired yet into the account, but Franco he might view it differently.

"I'll see what I can do and get back to you," she said, "That's all I can promise you at this point in time."

Helena curled her lip.

"Amateurs, perhaps I should deal with Franco myself…"

Ava held up her hand.

"That won't be necessary. I'll contact him and see if he'll agree to it. I'm sure he will. He's got bills to pay like the rest of us do."

Helena didn't look appeased by that. But Ava didn't know what else she could do. She knew that for whatever reason Helena badly wanted the painting. She just didn't know why.

* * *

><p>Derek and Alexis sat on opposite sides of the elevator as they had for the past half hour with no signs of rescue in sight.<p>

She tried to make light of it.

"I'm sure we're being spared any drama that's taking place downstairs."

He stroked his jaw line with his thumb, his eyes never leaving her.

"I'm sure…well why we're trapped in here, maybe we could do that interview."

She thought about it. God knew when they'd be sprung from this trap so might as well keep her mind occupied on other things.

"Okay…I agree to that. Ask away."

He paused and then smiled at her.

"I know most of the basics in your bio already," he said, "Your professional accomplishments and your personal history. You were married once…"

She smiled widely.

"Yes I was, to Jasper Jacks. My date tonight. I hope he's not worried about me."

Derek digested that information.

"But you're divorced…"

She nodded.

"The marriage…it was a business arrangement to help out a mutual friend," she said, "I'd never marry for love."

Derek frowned.

"Why not?"

She shrugged.

"Love…infatuation really doesn't last. Marriages are built to last so it makes sense to me to base them on something else besides love."

Derek paused for a long moment.

"I see…so you and Jasper Jax married to help a friend and then later divorced."

She nodded.

"Yes we did but it was amicable. He's my very best friend," she said, "I'd do anything for him."

Derek drew in a deep breath, exhaling it. Her curiosity sparked.

"What about you? You ever been married?"

He shook his head.

"I've never met anyone I'd marry," he said, "Except back while I was in grad school in New York. I met a bright, pretty young woman there and well, I thought about marrying her but my father didn't approve."

She tilted her face.

"You needed his approval?"

He felt defensive.

"Well yes…you see he was in charge of the family business and I wanted him to be proud of me and that meant doing what he wanted."

"Even over your own wishes?"

He paused looking down at his hands.

"Sometimes…isn't that what all children face with their parents?"

She studied his face which awaited her answer.

"Not all children…I didn't know my parents or who they were for most of my life," she said, "A friend set me straight on some things not long ago…but it wouldn't change the way I lived my life."

"I see...you became a success anyway."

She shrugged.

"I learned not to live for their approval because I'd never get it," she said, "I was illegitimate anyway. So it didn't matter to them…"

"Didn't matter?"

She shook her head.

"My father didn't acknowledge me," she said, "and my mother died when I was very young. Too young to really remember much about her."

Derek narrowed his eyes.

"My father ran my whole life," he said, "What he wanted is what happened. But I never quite met his approval…"

At that point in his confessional, the lights went out leaving them in darkness.


	11. Chapter 11

Alexis stared into the darkness of the elevator for a minute before hearing a buzzing noise and seeing a faint light turn on.

"The auxiliary generator," Derek said, "There must be a power outage at least in the building."

Alexis sighed.

"I can see that. What I can't see is a way out of here."

Derek shifted his body position. The metal container that carried them had illuminated enough for them to be able to see each other.

"I don't think so. We're going to have to wait until someone rescues."

Alexis threw up her hands.

"Isn't there a phone that you can use to call for help? A call button to push?"

He sighed.

"You asked that and the one's locked and the other's broken. I don't know who designed this place but I think they bypassed a code or two."

"Figures…"

He smiled at her.

"Relax Alexis…we won't be in here forever. Maybe an hour or two. At least partial power's been restored…though usually that's enough to power an elevator to the next floor."

She ran a hand through her hair.

"Not enough in this building obviously," she said, "I hope we won't run out of oxygen."

"We won't. There's still air coming through the ventilation so we don't have to worry about suffocating."

"Thank goodness for small favor…"

He chuckled.

"Are you always so pessimistic?"

She shot him a look.

"Are you always overly optimistic?"

He paused.

"No…I'm not. But this is just one of those situations where you can't do much but sit and wait until it gets resolved."

She frowned.

"I'm not good at doing that. I've never been good at that. Just ask my ex-boyfriend Ned Ashton."

Derek arched a brow.

"The one who received the award tonight from ELQ?"

"The same. He's always telling me that I get stressed out over nothing," she said, "and that if I were more like him, my life would be a lot smoother."

Derek's mouth quirked.

"Maybe that means that your life be less interesting," he said, "Life isn't always supposed to be orderly and smooth after all."

She nodded.

"I know and you're right…but I could live with less escapades in it like what happened a few minutes ago."

"Ah, the woman and the knife."

She looked down at her hands.

"Yes…that….This other woman, Sam McCall she warned me and I didn't take her seriously because I…she…we just don't really see eye to eye on very much."

Derek didn't say anything, but she knew he listened.

"There must be something there positive for her to have warned you…"

Alexis shrugged.

"Maybe…but right now we're on opposite sides of a legal battle involving one of my clients and her…boyfriend at the moment so we're at odds."

Derek looked sideways at her.

"I'm surprised, you seem to have a lot in common," he said, "You're both opinionated, spirited women and very attractive."

Alexis smiled despite herself.

"That's nice of you to say but really not necessary," she said, "but anyway I just want to figure out a way to get out of here? You sure we can't try that hatch in the ceiling."

He followed her gaze and shook his head.

"It'd be too dangerous. Neither of us are dressed for it and usually the tops of elevators are very slippery and it's a long way down if one of us takes the wrong step."

She grimaced.

"I didn't think about that…wait a minute how do you know?"

He smiled.

"I'm a reporter and publisher of a newspaper," he said, "I know a lot of things without directly experiencing them. Anyway we'll be fine here if we sit this out. It could be localized to the elevator and help could be on its way."

She frowned.

"What if it's not? What if the power's out in the entire hotel or god forbid the entire city?"

Derek looked around the elevator.

"Then we're definitely better staying inside here. It could be crazy outside with people panicking or even looting."

She rolled her eyes.

"You mean crazier than usual?"

He adjusted his position. Like her it was uncomfortable to sit on the floor one way for too long. God, she hoped they wouldn't be stranded in here for hours or days.

"There's no way for us to know," he said, "Until someone comes for us."

* * *

><p>Jax looked everywhere for her, in the darkness until the auxillary lights turned back on inside the ballroom.<p>

No sign of Alexis anywhere. She'd left him to get some fresh air and he'd said he'd be waiting for her. But he'd been distracted and the next thing he knew there'd been a loud bang and the power had gone out.

Ned approached him, looking harried. Jax grabbed his arm.

"Have you seen Alexis?"

Ned shook his head.

"No I'm looking for my mother," he said, "She walked off to talk with Alan and I haven't seen her since. Edward and Lila will send the National Guard after us if we don't report in soon."

Jax grimaced.

"I've got to find her. This place is turning into a madhouse. They've sealed it off from the outside because there's rioting in the streets."

Ned looked incredulous.

"Seriously? What's there to riot against? The mayor's only a figurehead and this isn't the higher rent side of town."

Jax looked serious.

"Maybe but the police left to go restore order near the waterfront, which isn't too far away from here."

"No it's not. I'd better find my mother and A.J. though he's probably partying it up in a private suite with his date."

Jax sighed.

"I'll see you later. I've got to keep looking…"

Ned rushed off and Jax turned down another semi-lit hallway. People had gathered in the ballroom waiting for instructions on how to proceed. Many wanted to go home and wait behind armed gates for the power to be restored. Others wanted to know if they could sleep in suites overnight on the city's dime because the power had failed. Jax had his own suspicions that someone might have tampered with the system and the top of the list included his own brother Jerry Jacks.

But he hadn't seen Jerry around anywhere. Brenda suddenly ran up to him, gripping his shoulder. Her hair was in disarray and she had scratch marks on her face.

"Oh God, Jax…it's so crazy. People are crazy. Do you see what that trailer trash bitch Carly did to me? I just want to find Ric or someone who'll take me home."

Jax shook his head.

"Brenda, none of us are allowed to leave," he said, "We're all stuck here until the authorities say it's safe to go outside. We don't know what happened. If the power outage is accidental, or whether it was deliberate."

She looked horrified.

"Who would do that to me, to all of us?"

"I don't know…but listen you need to go find the ballroom and stay there with the others. Stay put and don't wander off and if that means you and Carly are going to have to call a truce over Sonny, that's what you'll have to do."

"But she…."

Jax felt his patience ebbing.

"Enough Brenda…Do as I say and I'll be there as soon as I find Alexis…"

She snarled.

"Who gives a damn about Alexis? Jax…I need you. Ric's taken off to find his Lizzie and Sonny's off breaking glassware somewhere. I'm alone Jax…I need someone to take care of me."

He broke her iron grip and put his hands on her arms staring into her face.

"I can't do that for Brenda. Do as I tell you. You've got to be strong Brenda. There's people depending on us. The police and fire crews are out dealing with the rioters out there…."

"But…but…"

"We are on our own…"

Jax left her and went to look for Alexis again. He turned the corridor and almost smacked into Sam.

She looked up at his face.

"Jax?"

"Sam are you okay?"

She nodded pulling a strand of hair out of her face.

"I was looking for Jason but I don't think he's even in the building," she said, "He said he had something to take care of and just left."

Jax sighed.

"Sam I'm looking for Alexis have you seen her?"

She shook her head.

"Not since she pulled a knife on some guy hassling her at one of Sonny's trafficking gigs."

Jax felt concern rush through him. Sam picked up on that.

"Oh don't worry she definitely had the edge and she left before the security showed up but I haven't seen her since. I'm sure she's okay."

"I hope so…I'm going to find some people to do a search party…why don't you head to the ballroom with the others?"

Sam looked insulted.

"The hell I will.,,,I want to help you Jax and you know I'm the best to do that."

He paused then nodded.

"I do…come on let's get a move on," he said, "We've got to round up everyone and quickly."

Sam followed him down the corridor to the stairwells.

* * *

><p>Helena hadn't been perturbed in the least when the power went out inside the suite. Ava had looked around wildly in the darkness until one little light turned on near the doorway.<p>

"You nervous?"

Ava shot a look at the older woman.

"Hardly…what happened anyway? Some problem with the hotel?"

Helena left her chaise and walked over to the window looking down into a darkened landscape with nary a light to be seen.

"I'd say not Ms Jerome. The city is out…well at least all my relatives are accounted for or dead. None are responsible."

Ava didn't know how to respond to that. Helena returned from the window back to the chaise all business again.

"Okay so about that Franco painting," she said, "When I have it appraised, I can offer a price for it that I think you'll find more than fair."

Ava just looked at her, wondering how Helena could calmly conduct a business transaction during a power outage. Helena just looked at her coolly.

"Is that okay with you? The $500,000? Because if it's not my dear I can deal directly with the artist but then that would deny you a healthy commission."

Ava licked her lips definitely not wanting that to happen.

"No…no…I just need to speak with him. I sure the sale will go through but he does have the final say. Surely you understand the artistic temperament."

Helena waved her hand.

"Whatever Ms Jerome," she said, "I just want that painting."

"I understand…I didn't come here alone," she said, "My brother's around here somewhere."

Helena straightened up.

"Brother? You have a brother?"

Ava noticed the sudden interest in the woman's eyes. She hoped that was a good sign for her profit margin.

"Yes…well he doesn't want that widely known but he goes under a different name. In reality, his name is Julian…Julian Jerome."

Helena simply stared at her.

"Really? Will he by chance be joining you soon?"

Ava shrugged.

"I hoped so but with the power outage, who knows? He could be anywhere right now."

Helena paused a moment, her eyes calculating.

"If you can get him here, I'll double my offer on the painting."

Ava nearly fainted in shock.

"Really? Why would you do that?"

Helena simply smiled back at her.

"I have my reasons….."

* * *

><p>Alexis glanced over at Derek. The temperature had risen inside the elevator and she felt perspiration on the back of her neck.<p>

"We're really going to stay in here all night."

He looked sideways.

"I don't know. I'd hoped we'd be rescued by now."

Alexis sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.

"They're probably busy rescuing everyone else and don't know we're stuck here."

"You might be right…."

She took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly.

"I don't know about you but I want to get out of here. I'm willing to try to go up that hatch and find some way to open the outer doors."

She stood up and rubbed her hands together. He just looked at her.

"You might kill yourself in the process."

She shrugged.

"I'm a Cassadine. We have more lives than cats do."

She studied the best route to reach up the hatch and realized she couldn't do it by herself.

"I need your help. We need to get out of here and no one's coming for us. So are you in?"

Derek looked at her and nodded.

"I'm in…."


	12. Chapter 12

Ric had been frantically searching for Liz since the power inside the hotel had failed, leaving it shrouded in darkness. She was his one true love after all…the angel who would lead him on a path of redemption.

Chaos had erupted in the hotel. He didn't know what had just happened. People were running around like crazy but Liz hadn't been one of them. Yeah he knew he had arrived with Brenda as his date but when push came to shove, he was all about Liz. She was his angel of redemption after all.

A man collided with him and he looked up to see a frantic Jax.

"Have you seen Alexis? I can't find her…"

Ric just shook his head. He didn't give a damn about Alexis or anyone else. He just wanted to find Liz but he knew she was preoccupied with both Lucky and Nikolas. A hot mess she'd gotten herself involved in that he should avoid but it didn't stop him from wanting her. No needing her, to save him after all.

"I haven't seen Alexis. I don't know what is happening. Is it a terrorist attack?"

Jax just shrugged.

"I have no idea what's happening here. I just need to find Alexis."

Ric sighed.

"I need to find Liz. Have you seen her anywhere?"

Jax just looked at him puzzled.

"I thought she was here with Lucky."

Ric gave him an annoyed look.

"I need to find her. Can you help me?"

Jax just shook his head.

"I can't…I'm looking for Alexis," he said, "She just disappeared and I have no idea where I might find her."

Ric shrugged.

"I'm sure she'll turn up but don't be surprised if It's with my brother. They've been getting awfully close lately."

Jax grimaced.

"I can't help that. I know they're both concerned what happens to Zander but she might not be with him."

Ric snickered.

"I'm sure she's with Sonny. He'll make the moves on her like all the others and she'll succumb. It's inevitable. Nothing you can do to stop it."

Jax bit his tongue choking back his response. He had no use for the piece of flotsam in front of him. He just wanted to make sure Alexis was safe.

"She's smart enough to see through Sonny."

"Are you sure about that," Ric said, "He has a well-rehearsed routine he uses in all his seductions."

Jax rolled his eyes.

"I know all about that but Alexis is too smart to fall for that…"

Ric smirked.

"Are you sure about that?"

Jax folded his arms.

"I just need to find her. There's a crisis going on her and I want to make sure she's safe."

Ric shrugged.

"Knock yourself out. Just be warned. What my dear brother wants, he usually gets."

Jax shook his head at Ric and headed down the hallway to find her.

* * *

><p>Ned glanced at Tracy.<p>

"You really are more concerned about that award you got than getting out of here?"

She glared at her son.

"We worked hard for this honor. I can't believe some crisis is going to rob us of our just reward."

He sighed.

"I can't believe your focused on the trivial when our lives might be in danger."

She huffed.

"Ned, this is important. ELQ has gotten a lot of bad press lately and maybe you're so wrapped up in this Eddie Maine delusion of yours that you don't know what this means for us…"

He sighed again.

"I do mother but this hotel is obviously under siege and we have to get out of here."

She threw up her hands.

"Fine you leave…you turncoat but I'm not leaving without our award."

He rolled his eyes at her.

"Fine mother. You stay here and I'll get Monica and AJ and we'll get out of here while we still can."

She hissed.

"Traitor. You're just like your father."

He shrugged.

"Hardly mother…I don't even know him."

He took off down the hallway to look for Monica and AJ without a second glance.

* * *

><p>Alexis smiled at Derek.<p>

"We getting out of here anytime soon?"

He glanced at her while eying any possible escape route in the elevator.

"I'll get us out of here but you'll still owe me that interview."

She blinked her eyes.

"I owe you nothing…we don't know each other," she said, "Sure I won some award but that doesn't mean I owe you anything."

Derek smiled at her.

"I realize that but we're stuck in the elevator with no easy way out and it might pass the time until rescue."

Alexis bristled.

"I'm not waiting until rescue. I want to find a way out of here now."

Derek looked bemused.

"There's no way out like I explained. We're stuck. So why don't we do that interview…"

Alexis looked at him a bit pissed off.

"Excuse me…I beg to differ with you that the ceiling exit isn't our best bet. I'm more agile than I look."

He chuckled.

"I don't doubt that but I told you that it's very dangerous and I don't want anything bad to happen with you. At least not until I get to know you."

Her defenses rose around her without being prompted.

"What do you want to know?"

He folded his arms looking more relaxed than she felt.

"I want to start at the beginning. Where were you born, who are your parents?"

Irritation flooded through her.

"That's a long story and I'm sure we won't be trapped in here long enough."

Derek smiled.

"It could be hours until we're rescued. Why don't you at least give me the preliminaries?"

Alexis just stared at the man in front of her. He asked her what she didn't feel like delivering. Her life story had been painful enough to endure and survive so why repeat it to some random stranger let alone a member of the media?

"No I don't choose to answer your questions. I'm not playing your game. I just want to get out of here."

He smiled.

"I realize that Alexis but we're stuck here until we can be rescued which might not be for a while so why not pass the time doing something pleasant?"

She just stared at them.

"I can't wait. We have to find a way out of here now."

He folded his arms.

"Alexis we're stuck here for the time being. We can't get out of here. We might as well pass the time getting to know each other."

She stared at him.

"Excuse me, I don't know you at all."

Derek smiled back at her.

"That's the point of this interview. That we get to know each other better Alexis. So let's get started. Where were you born?"

She just looked at him, unwilling to answer.

"Why do you want to know? We barely know each other."

He threw up his arms.

"I'm just asking as a journalist for background information. You were an award recipient. Naturally my audience would want to know more about you…"

She became more guarded.

"Why would you want to know that?"

He gave her a long probing look.

"Why wouldn't I and we have all this time to kill?"

She didn't know how to respond to that.


	13. Chapter 13

Alexis folded her arms at the man in front of her. The one who'd peppered her with all these questions about her life in the guise of an interview.

"Come on now Alexis, what else are we going to do while stuck in here?"

She rolled her eyes at Derek, who seemed fully in journalist mode, thinking he was doing his job to dig up more information on those who received awards tonight until all hell broke loose.

"I was born in Athens Greece," she said, "though I didn't know the circumstances until recently. My mother was a talented opera singer and my father was…distant."

Derek frowned.

"Distant? Your father was a very powerful and wealthy man," he said, "The patriarch of the Cassadine family."

She shrugged.

"I wasn't one of his legitimate heirs so I hardly count," she said, "Besides only a couple are still left."

He knit his brow.

"Stefan Cassadine, Mikkos' younger son. He's still a successful businessman," he said, "and isn't his nephew Nikolas running the family business?"

Alexis stared at him a long moment.

"Why do you care? Why do they interest you? I'm sure you encounter quite a few powerful business dynasties in your line of work."

Derek nodded.

"I do but this is your family and you're the person I'm interviewing right now."

She arched her brows.

"So this is an interview? I thought we were just two people stuck together by circumstances beyond our control in an elevator."

He folded his arms looking at her with an intensity almost unnerving.

"We've got time to kill until we're rescued," he said, "It could be hours. We don't know what happened out there."

She sighed.

"No we don't. It could be just a minor malfunction or something worse…"

He smiled.

"So it could be hours then…"

She gave him an exasperated look. She had no intention of remaining captive in this cage longer than she had to…not if there was another way out. He seemed to read her mind.

"Alexis…I told you that trying to escape through the ceiling hash was dangerous."

She bit her lip looking at him.

"I don't like confined spaces," she said, "I was locked in a closet as a child."

His brows arched.

"Really…when you were living on the Island?"

She just watched him not intending that little facet of her history to slip out. She shook her head.

"It's really not anything. Let's just say I don't plan on spending the night in here waiting to be rescued."

He rubbed his jaw with his thumb.

"Look if we're stuck in between floors in this hotel, we're stuck," he said, "I somehow get the doors open, we'll be looking at a concrete wall with nothing to blast through it."

She shrugged.

"There might be an opening instead. So why don't we give it a try?"

He sighed.

"Okay…."

* * *

><p>Jax frowned at Sonny.<p>

"What just happened?"

The shorter mobster looked flustered or upset, Jax couldn't tell which. He gestured for two burly bodyguards to join him. Jax flashed his eyes impatiently.

"I'm looking for my date Alexis have you seen her?"

Sonny glowered.

"I haven't seen her and I don't know what happened. The power's out in this building and maybe elsewhere."

Jax felt uneasiness fill him.

"How'd that happen?"

Sonny threw up his arms.

"I don't know. I was too busy dealing with Carly and Brenda and keeping the two of them apart."

"What about the police?"

Sonny shook his head.

"I don't want them involved," he said, "If it's one of my enemies striking at me I'll find out and get back at them. The police will just get in the way especially if that Mac Scorpio's in charge."

Jax smirked.

"Come on Sonny, if there's innocent people involved because of your illegal dealings…"

Suddenly Sam walked up to both of them, flipping her hair back with one deft hand. She appraised both men.

"Either of you see Jason?"

Both just stared at her and she arched a brow.

"A yes or no answer will work. I need to find him so we can figure out what just happened here."

Jax shrugged.

"Better ask Sonny here. He seems to think this is all about him…and his business."

Sam narrowed her eyes.

"Okay Sonny have you seen Jason?"

He just looked at her nonplussed.

"I haven't seen him. I'm probably under attack by one of my enemies."

Sam frowned.

"You think that's why the power is out? Someone's after you?"

Sonny nodded grimly.

"It has to be…why else would this have happened?"

Sam shrugged.

"It might be city wide…"

He waved his hand.

"This has to be someone after my territory…or my enterprise."

Sam hardened.

"You trade in women Sonny. If one of your rivals is coming after you, I don't care. I'm worried about Jason."

Jax interjected.

"I'm worried about Alexis. I haven't seen her."

Sam glanced at him.

"I saw her earlier at one of Sonny's so called 'parties'. What a joke. I think she left after being hit on my one of the johns…I mean guests."

Sonny scoffed.

"It's just a party for some of my clients. Nothing illegal at all."

Sam rolled her eyes at him and looked at Jax again.

"I'm sure Alexis is fine. She knows how to handle herself. I just need to find Jason."

Sonny and Jax looked at each other. Jax cleared his throat.

"I'll find Alexis."

Sam nodded then looked at Sonny.

"I'll find Jason but if you caused this, you need to deal with it."

Sonny just glowered.

"It's not my fault. I'm just a coffee importer."

Sam snorted.

"Yeah right…just don't get anyone killed because of your…coffee business."

Sonny gritted his teeth.

"No one I mean no one is going to stop me and my business…"

Sam wandered off after his pronouncement. Jax just stared at him.

"I can't believe it Sonny. Thinking about yourself as usual when other people might be in danger…"

* * *

><p>Alexis crossed her arms looking at Derek.<p>

"Okay what now? Are we going to get out of here?"

He glanced at her.

"We might have a chance if the elevator is between floors but it might be a tight squeeze."

Alexis was unfazed.

"I don't care. I just want to get out of here. I don't like confined spaces."

"I can see that…"

She watched him sitting so calmly while she felt like jumping out of her skin.

"So are you going to do it?

He just stared at her absolutely calm.

"It's not safe like I told you…"

"I don't care…I want out of here now."

She knew she'd start pacing again even as she tried to stop herself. He just watched her almost bemused. That irritated her.

"Mr. Wells, don't just stand there. We can't be stuck in here forever."

He sighed with a smile.

"It won't be that long. The power should be on soon."  
>She shrugged.<p>

"Fine…but it better be soon. This isn't where I want to be."

He grinned.

"I can tell…so you grew up on an island off the coast of Greece?"

She just looked at him and nodded.

."I did…until I went away to high school in the United States. My father put me on a ship with a guardian and when I reached America, I felt elated…I really wanted to be away from the island and be someplace new…much different."

He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Nothing wrong with that…at that age," he said, "I wanted to be independent of my father too. I went to boarding school and then to college."

She pressed her lips together.

"I went to boarding school…in the States…"

His brows arched.

"Where?"

She paused a moment before breathing again.

"New Hampshire…"

She saw something in his eyes and suddenly realized everything had changed.


	14. Chapter 14

Alexis looked at Derek and noticed his eyes had narrowed slightly while looking at her.

"What"

He paused and then shook his head.

"Nothing…I spent several years in New Hampshire going to university. That's where I first got interesting in journalism."

She smiled.

"You worked on the school paper."

"Something like that. I interned for the local newspaper as well," he said, "My father wanted me to major in business so I did a double major."

She folded her arms.

"Did that satisfy your father?"

He frowned and she'd wondered if she'd said anything wrong. But maybe as someone who had done reporting he was more used to asking questions rather than answering them.

"I don't think I ever satisfied my father," he said, "He's no longer alive."

She shrugged slightly.

"My father's been dead for most of my life. I don't know if what I'm doing now would have pleased him. It was my brother's idea for me to get a law degree and put it to good use."

"You enjoy the law then?"

She nodded, so used to this question.

"It brings order to my life and it makes sense, something I needed at the time. I did mostly business and contract law for my brother and nephew but when I came to town I branched out including into criminal law."

"You a DA or you defend criminals?"

She gave him a piercing look.

"I prefer to look at it as defending the integrity of the system. To keep it in balance but yes, I'm on the defensive side of the table."

He looked at her a long moment and she noticed a small silver scar above one eyebrow.

"You've ever broken any law Mr. Wells?"

He blinked his eyes.

"Why would you ask such a question?"

She blew a tendril of hair out of her face.

"It's just a question…."

He paused, just staring at the woman in front of him.

"You don't have to answer it if you feel it might incriminate you…"

She watched his eyes glance to the side then back at her. Did he look nervous? No that wasn't the right word for it…

"I haven't broken a law, or my name isn't Derek Wells…"

She looked at him then started chuckling, not sure why. Maybe it was being stuck inside an uncooperative elevator inside a stuffy hotel. Maybe had just been one of those days, .one of those weeks.

"Did I say something funny?"

She bit her lip to stop her laughter then shook her head.

"It's just that most people by the time they're your age have gotten at least a parking or speeding ticket but you…really never had any such violation?"

He sighed, but his eyes looked like mischief.

"I didn't say that…."

* * *

><p>Ava slithered out of the hotel room where Helena had left her to go have some private conversation with someone in her bedroom. She walked down the corridor which had minimal lighting on and then collided into a man. He grabbed her arms to steady her.<p>

"Ava is that you?"

She rolled her eyes at Carlos who had a camera slung over his shoulder and was wearing a backwards baseball cap.

"Who else could I be? What are you doing here?"

He scratched his neck.

"I was taking photos of that swag dinner and the award winners but then it was chaos. Diva catfights, security swarming the place looking for some female assailant who escaped in an elevator and they're out of shrimp cocktail."

Ava shook her head.

"Sounds like it might be time to get Julian and get out of here," she said, "I think that my client might sell me the painting but she's got to check with her own backer."

Carlos smiled.

"It looks like you made out well. I haven't seen the boss anywhere. He just disappeared in the chaos and the lobby is downright treacherous. Ripped out hair extensions and torn fabric everywhere. It was terrible to witness."

Ava smirked.

"I guess I missed a good show. But seriously we've got to leave before the security start getting suspicious about us especially since this is Corinthos territory."

Carlos nodded.

"You head down the stairs and I'll case a couple more floors see if I can find him. Then we'll split Dodge and head back to the City."

"Sounds like a plan."

The two parted ways but Ava had other ideas.

* * *

><p>Sam ran down the dimly lit hallway and turned a corner to see Ned and Tracy arguing in the hallway. Tracy looked wobbly as if she'd hit the bar even before the celebratory champagne.<p>

"Ned I'm perfectly fine. I'm staying in a suite tonight…alone. No…I'm not meeting Luke here. He's just doing some work for me."

Her son looked doubtful.

"Mother, I know you and I know the minute I turn my back, you'll cut a deal with some shady customer to get a bigger chunk of ELQ from AJ and me."

She looked taken aback.

"How can you accuse me like that? I was running the company when you were a tennis bum seducing older women including…my sister in law."

Ned sighed.

"That was in the past…and it wasn't my fault. I didn't know who she really was anyway."

Tracy waved her arm.

"So what…it doesn't change anything," she said, "then that Cassadine half breed left you at the altar in front of the whole town while she hightailed it to some tawdry bar?"

Ned flinched not wanting to be reminded of that humiliating day. Besides the chick named V was trying to make it all better for him. V had left town on business but would be back in a week and they were going to the fundraiser at the Haunted Star.

"Alexis just felt underwhelmed with living up to the standards of this family," he said, "amid its dysfunctions."

Sam approached them not wanting to interrupt but she hadn't been able to find Jason yet. She had no idea what was happening at the hotel that had thrown it into chaos. Jason just seemed to have the answers to almost any situation.

She tucked a strand behind her ear as both Qs turned around to face her. Tracy flashed a look of exasperation.

"What do you want?"

Sam cleared her voice.

"I'm looking for Jason Morgan. Have you seen him? I need to find him."

Both Ned and Tracy looked at each other. Ned spoke first.

"I haven't seen him but then it's been chaotic since the lights went out," he said, "I don't know what happened."

"I don't either. Someone knocked out the power and people are panicking," Sam said, "We don't know who's responsible."

Tracy folded her arms.

"I have no idea where Mr. Morgan is but he's nowhere around here so you should look elsewhere for him."

Sam nodded.

"I'll do that…. Thanks…"

She took off down the hallway towards the elevators.

* * *

><p>Derek looked at her after her laughter had died down.<p>

"Okay Alexis what about you? Have you broken any laws?"

She bit her lip not wanting to answer that especially since the answer was just too damned complicated. Her family lived under a different code than the rest of the world after all. But then she remembered another well-known trait of her family when asked difficult questions to be avoided."

"No…I've never broken a law. Never even gotten a parking ticket."

He arched his brows.

'Impressive I think if I am to believe it," he said, "You're a Cassadine after all. Are you not?"

She nodded.

"You have your own set of commandants. Thou shall not murder isn't one of them."

She pursed her lips and straightened her back.

"True but I'm not a legitimate Cassadine," she said, "My mother was a not so well kept secret in that family."

Derek paused.

"Your mother…"

Alexis shook her head.

"That's not a topic for discussion," she said, "So how long do you think it'll take until anyone notices we're trapped here?"

He shrugged.

"I don't know. Could be hours. Could be days."

She blanched. He smirked.

"I don't think it'll be days but I'm sure there are other priorities aside from us and besides we're not in any danger."

Alexis watched him carefully. Suddenly not so sure of that.


	15. Chapter 15

Derek seemed so much calmer than she felt right now. Alexis didn't like being in confined spaces since those times that Stavros had locked her in the closet having some fun with her. Her fear seemed to be his stimulus and it'd taken her too long to realize that and to stop feeding his addiction.

She tempered her apprehension as she'd learned how to do as the minutes ticked away while the two of them remained trapped in this metal crate.

"Alexis we'll get out of here and then I'll invite you up to my suite for some your choice of poison to take the edge off of tonight."

She felt bemused.

"I like Vodka, Russian brands of course," she said, "but first I want to see a plan for getting us out of here."

He shrugged.

"It can't be that much longer. Unless this power outage is city wide of course then it might not be until morning."

She grimaced.

"Oh god, it can't be that long. It's been long enough already. I need to get out of here."

He countered.

"Why? Why, what's the hurry? Surely your date will be understanding when he learns of the circumstances."

She pressed her lips together.

"Yeah Jax will definitely be understanding but I just need these doors to open so I can get out."

She tried to keep the tension out of her voice, not wanting to betray any emotions to this stranger especially since he was a reporter. She'd learned not to give much of herself away especially to the media.

"Then you're set. My sister of course might not be so acceptable, though if she got what she came her for, she'll get over it."

Alexis narrowed her eyes.

"Sister? So you didn't come here alone then."

He shook his head.

"My sister's here to sell some paintings to a wealthy woman who's interested. Knowing Ava she'll get the price she wants for them."

Alexis chuckled.

"This town's filled with people with money to spend," she said, "Your sister should have no trouble selling her work."

He nodded slightly.

"That's her concern. I'm here to cover tonight's award ceremony and interviewing you would have been one of the highlights."

She smiled at him. Damn he was handsome and his muscles, in all the right places but she had to

"Derek, I'd like to get out of here first and then I might answer your questions if I have time."

He smiled.

'What about right now? It's not like either of us are going anywhere else soon. So how did you like New Hampshire?"

That question caught her off guard. She sucked in her breath quickly and just stared at him.

"Excuse me?"

"You went to school there didn't you? You mentioned it earlier."

She frowned and tucked a strand of hair behind her air.

"Yeah but I was 16…and I felt I was trading one prison for another…"

Derek knit his brows.

"Meaning…"

Exasperation filled her. There were just some areas of her life she didn't feel like sharing with a complete stranger let alone a journalist who would take it out of context to sell newspapers.

"Just that…it was a very strict environment which is exactly what my father wanted and I was stuck there…nothing to do but study."

He chuckled drily.

"Somehow I don't believe that," he said, "you must have found a way to rebel. All teenagers do in that kind of environment. I would have done that."

She cast him a disdainful look.

"I'm not like most teenagers. I focused on my studies…for the most part…"

He sighed.

"But not all the time did you? I know what it's like Alexis. My father sent me to a parochial school so I'd grow up to be not like him or my older brother…but I did push back."

She folded her arms.

"That didn't mean that I did that. I did what my father wanted me to do. I studied hard and got good grades…or I would have if I'd stayed."

He leaned forward.

"Why didn't you?"

But she turned away from him.

* * *

><p>Sam folded her arms.<p>

"Ned was no help. He's too busy fighting with his mother…"

Nikolas just stared at her. He'd been looking for Emily and had lost her during the uproar that had arisen in the lobby when Carly and Brenda had their catfight over Sonny. Ric who'd been Brenda's date had tried to intervene but had gotten knocked on the ground by Carly who'd marked Brenda with her talons.

"I don't know what to say Sam," he said, "I thought I saw my aunt but she disappeared and security was looking for her because of some incident at a private party…"

Sam shook her head.

"Alexis was just defending herself. God knows she's not my favorite person but that's the truth. I'm not looking for her anyway. I'm looking for Jason."

"I don't know where he is. It's getting crazy. Mac said the whole city lost power not just the hotel and that it might be foul play."

Sam frowned.

"Foul play by who?"

Nikolas shrugged.

"I don't know but this happening the night of the awards gala, it can't be a coincidence."

Sam nodded.

"Yeah it can't be. That's why I need to find Jason so we can find out what's going on here."

Nikolas frowned.

"I wonder if it has anything to do with my family."

She narrowed her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

He paused.

"It might be Helena. She loves to commit mayhem when she's bored and this looks like something she might do."

"Maybe but it could be one of Sonny's enemies too…"

Nikolas rubbed his arms.

"I just have a feeling my grandmother is around here somewhere up to something."

Sam brushed a strand of hair off her face.

"Have you heard from here recently?"

Nikolas shook his head.

"That's why I'm concerned. She has this way of showing up unannounced in a grandiose way."

Sam sucked in her breath. She'd heard all about Helena and the damage she'd done when she showed up in PC.

"I hope you're wrong…"

She really did but she wondered if Nikolas might be right after all.

* * *

><p>Liz stared at Ric who had bumped into her while looking for her. She'd been searching for Nikolas because she'd been worried about him. Lucky had disappeared but she'd figured he had been in the bar drinking his sorrows over his suspension.<p>

"Ric I can't go with you," she said, "Weren't you here with Brenda anyway?"

He waved his arm.

"It doesn't matter who I came with Liz. I want us to leave together and it's not safe here right now."

She pouted.

"I can't leave without talking to Nikolas so you'll have to leave without me."

He glowered.

"Liz, you don't know how dangerous it can get. I know this has to do with my brother and it's probably one of his many enemies trying to get back at him."

She shook her head.

"I can't be responsible for that. I have nothing to do with Sonny or his operations. I just want to make sure Nikolas is all right."

Ric narrowed his eyes.

"Where's Lucky? Do you even know?"

She cast him a funny look.

"He can take care of himself Alexis is helping him with his case with the police department. Nikolas is the one who needs my help."

Ric just looked so frustrated.

"No Liz, you need to leave with me right now before it's too late."

"I can't….you can take Brenda and leave if you want. I need to find Nikolas before it's too late."

Ric paused.

"I think I saw him with Sam McCall. She can help him. You need to get out of here right now."

She refused to budge.

"You leave Ric. I am not leaving here until I know Nikolas is all right."

He just shook his head but he didn't leave her side. After all, Liz was his angel, the key to his redemption so he couldn't walk out on her. She just needed to forget about Nikolas already and focus on him.

If only that could happen, his own world would be more perfect.

* * *

><p>Alexis kept pacing the confines of the elevator as Derek watched. She just didn't think she could stay in their much longer.<p>

"I'm getting out of here. I'm going to try to force the doors open."

He protested.

"Alexis…we might be between floors and all that's behind the doors is a concrete wall."

She shrugged.

"I don't care. I'll figure out a way out of here. I'm not good in confined spaces."

Derek smiled.

"I can see that. But like I told you it might not be safe…"

She shook her head.

"I'll take my chances. I'm not spending days in here even with you."

She walked to the doors and tried to push them open but they refused to budge. He watched her bemused.

"I don't think we're going anywhere."

She tried again with the doors but they wouldn't budge. She turned around to face him.

"Why don't you help me? Then we can get out of here?"

He just stood there.

"Alexis that's not a way out. So you were in New Hampshire at school?"

She just stared at him, incredulously.

"What? Why are you asking that? Don't you want to get out of here?"

"Yeah I do…I've spent time there too. I went to college at Dartmouth the Ivy League school and I enjoyed it."

She sighed.

"Good for you but I didn't enjoy my time in New Hampshire all that much…now help me get us out of here."

He didn't budge.

"Why didn't you Alexis? It's a lovely place don't you think?"

She just stared at him, irritated that he didn't cooperate.

"No I don't agree," she said, "Now let's focus on getting out of here."

He shifted his position looking at her.

"Why not?"

She just looked back at him wondering why he asked her such a question and why he even cared about her answer. He was a stranger after all and her life was her own business.

"I'm not answering. All I want is to get out of here. Will you help me or not?"

He read the desperation on her face.

"Okay I will help you but opening these doors won't help us. We need another plan…"


	16. Chapter 16

Alexis folded her arms, staring at Derek.

"Okay then what's your plan because I'm really not staying in here all night…"

He smiled.

"It might be better in here than what's outside," he reasoned, "Safer too."

She arched her brows.

"I'm a Cassadine, and the word "safe" isn't in my vocabulary. So I'm willing to take my chances with what's out there."

He looked doubtful.

"It could be a terrorist attack or riots in the street."

She rolled her eyes.

"It could be Sonny Corinthos' two favorite molls having another catfight in the lobby. They are a bit overdue for another round at pulling out each other's extensions."

"I thought he was married…"

She just sighed.

"He is…sort of…it's a long story and not a very interesting one. Not nearly as interesting as finding a way out of here."

She walked back over to the doors and tried them, but like he'd told her they wouldn't budge. She looked up at the ceiling. He shook his head.

"I don't think that's a way out either and I don't know what the rush is…I'm sure the security here will find us before morning…"

"I told you that I'm not willing to wait until morning…"

He frowned.

"You really have some place you should be?"

She felt exasperated.

"I have an early appointment in the morning with a new client."

He shrugged.

"So you can change it if we're not out of here by then…in the meantime, I was researching your background and it's very impressive. University of Yale for both undergrad and law school. You worked in some prestigious firms and for Cassadine Industries. I also saw that you were almost married last year."

She felt irritated now.

"No comment…I'm still looking for a way out of here."

He smirked.

"In more ways than one… You were to be married to Ned Ashton, the same one who received the award tonight for ELQ. It was written up as one of the major events of the year for PC society. Yet you didn't make it down the altar."

She grimaced.

"Is there a point to this line of questioning? It sounds awfully leading."

"We're not in a courtroom."

"No but that's a personal question I'd rather not answer for your article. The groom was very upset with me for what I did, he still hasn't forgiven me."

Derek narrowed his eyes.

"Forgiven you? Why? You probably stopped the both of you from making a serious mistake."

She shrugged.

"Perhaps but it was a logistical nightmare sending all the gifts back, canceling the reception and dealing with the press afterward. I'm still known in these parts as the "Runaway Bride."

"Better that than have ignored your instincts and gone through with it. You did the right thing."

She pursed her lips.

"You ever been married Mr. Wells?"

He shifted his posture.

"So we're back to that. You can call me Derek."

She smiled.

"So you won't answer the question…"

He paused and shook his head.

"Haven't had that pleasure. My work keeps me very busy…It doesn't leave much time for long term relationships."

She smirked.

"Not even love at first sight, whirlwind courtships and a trip to Vegas?"

His mouth curved into a smile.

"Like I said I keep myself very busy," he said, "and I move around a lot."

She digested that.

"You're probably very fortunate. I plan to keep myself very busy if I ever consider marriage again."

He paused.

"You do look very beautiful in white even if you were running out of the church towards a semi."

She felt her throat tighten.

"I…I couldn't breathe in there. I wanted to get some fresh air and then I started running."

She leaned against the wall of the elevator remembering what that had felt like. She'd wound up in a dive drinking cheap tequila and listening to country western on the worn jukebox.

"Sonny wound up talking me down from it during one of his more lucid moments. I do some legal work for him but it's strictly legit."

He arched a brow.

"Really? I mean he is the most notorious crime boss on the eastern seaboard having his hands in several lucrative businesses. He was running one of those businesses in the hotel tonight."

She nodded slightly.

"So I heard…he's gotten involved in the world's oldest profession for women. But like I said, I only handle some legal contracts for him with his restaurant and his coffee enterprises."

"I see…yet isn't it more than likely that he's using those legit businesses to launder ill-gotten gains?"

She tilted her head.

"No comment. If I didn't know better I'd think you were trying to find something negative or scandalous to write in your article and I'm not going to help you with that."

He looked taken aback. Slightly to his credit.

"Rest assured that's not my intention."

She smiled back at him.

"Good because we really should focus on getting out of her instead," she said, "and besides I don't think you could handle what a Cassadine might have in her closet."

* * *

><p>Sam walked towards the elevators and pushed the buttons. Nothing happened which didn't surprise her because she knew the generators were on auxiliary power which meant minimal lighting.<p>

It also meant the elevators wouldn't work but surely they'd head to the nearest floor and open their doors so people wouldn't be trapped inside of them.

"Sam, there you are…"

She turned around to face Liz.

"Where you looking for me?"

Liz nodded.

"It's about Lucky. I can't find him and I was also looking for Nikolas…"

Sam put up a hand.

"I saw him. He was worried that his grandmother Helena might show up," she said, "I do pity him for being related to such a horrible woman."

Liz sighed.

"She's really mean. She's trying to control him. I just know it. But Nikolas told me she wouldn't be a problem anymore."

Sam folded her arms.

"He seemed concerned about her making an appearance," she said, "but I was looking for Jason."

"Why? Not that I've seen him or been looking for him…"

Sam's brow knit.

"I've been looking for him. We have to find out why there's no power here," she said, "It seems to be affecting at least this part of the city."

Liz pressed her lips together.

"I wouldn't know…and I haven't seen him. I'm more worried about Nikolas."

"What about Lucky? His whole world has fallen apart…have you looked for him?"

Liz reared back.

"He's at the bar having a couple of drinks. Besides it's because of Jason he's in trouble in the first place."

Sam sighed.

"Jason's innocent though. I thought Sonny would get Alexis to help him. But I haven't seen her either."

"She came with Jax didn't she? Maybe they left together."

Sam shook her head.

"Jax is still here and can't find her," she said, "This is so crazy. If anyone caused the blackout they're not taking responsibility for it..."

She thought she heard the sound of voices coming from somewhere that she couldn't see. She held up her hand.

"Wait a minute…what was that?"

* * *

><p>Alexis felt the clock counting down time even if she didn't see it. Derek just looked at her clearly amused.<p>

"So what are your skeletons Alexis? Any you care to share?"

She shook her head.

"Not to the media. I really lead a dull life."

He harrumphed.

"Somehow I doubt that…"

She chuckled at that even though she felt his questions were getting awfully personal. Her life wasn't an open book after all.

"Really…so what have you been doing? You own a media empire and yet you are here doing the work of what should I call it a grunt? You didn't have a reporter or intern to cover this event instead?"

He scratched the back of his neck.

"I chose to cover it instead. I found it to be a story that needed…personal handling…and I see I was right."

She chortled.

"Really? How can I be sure you don't have ulterior motives?"

He inched closer to her.

"Because I don't. I feel like even in my lofty position it's important to keep my hands in the basics where I started."

"I don't believe you Mr. Wells."

He smirked. She really didn't like it when he did that.

"I'm here to cover this event. I don't have any ulterior motives. Now onto the next question. What made you decide to work for Sonny Corinthos even in the scope of his…legitimate businesses?"

She rubbed her arms, her eyes on him.

"Why are you so interested? Do you know him?"

He didn't skip a beat.

"I know of him…by reputation. I never met him personally."

Somehow she didn't believe him.

"Are you…"

Then the elevator car began to shake. She looked at him. What was happening?

"


	17. Chapter 17

Both Alexis and Derek looked at each other as the elevator started vibrating, as if trying to shake itself loose from the confines of the concrete shaft. Alexis reached behind her to grab onto the rail. Derek just stood there, not looking flustered at all, not even a hair out of place.

"Alexis…you do know that it's impossible for the elevator to fall to the bottom of the shaft…"

She blew a tendril of hair out of her face, staring at him.

"I read that somewhere too. But this is an older building…I don't know when the last time this one's even been inspected…"

Suddenly they heard a loud thump on the roof above them as if something had leapt down onto it. But no one could possibly be so crazy…unless they were rescuers? At last, Alexis thought as she glanced up and then back at Derek.

"I guess someone's finally found us."

He smiled.

"It seems that way…"

They stared at the hatch as it started moving and finally was pulled open. A face, lowered down to look at them.

"I see you're still alive in there…"

Alexis' eyes widened.

"Sam…what are you doing up there?"

Sam exposed more of her upper body and did a shoulder shrug.

"Looking for Jason but I did run into Jax and he's looking all over for you," she said, "He seemed concerned."

That warmed Alexis. She smiled.

"That's so sweet of him to be concerned. He's an excellent date and ex-husband."

Sam shrugged again.

"Okay whatever…so do you and…your friend here want to get out?"

Alexis and Derek looked at each other and then up, nodding. Sam sighed.

"Okay if you can get on up here, I can jimmy the doors open just enough for you to crawl onto the floor."

Alexis frowned.

"Which one?"

"The 10th. You'll have to take the fire stairs down to the lobby but it's better than waiting for help that's not coming for hours. The whole hotel and maybe the city is blacked out."

Derek nodded.

"I figured as much. Well Alexis, I say we take her up on her offer. You go up first…I'll follow behind you…"

She looked skeptical. But Sam lay down and reached her hands down. Alexis grabbed hold of them and the strength of the young woman's grip surprised her as she pulled her up. She scrambled through the hatch and on top of the somewhat slippery elevator roof. They both looked down at Derek. Sam arched her brows.

"You next…come on Alexis help me here."

Alexis tried to emulate Sam but it'd been a while since she'd been to the gym. Still Derek managed to maneuver himself up through the shaft and onto the now crowded surface. They gingerly stood up one at a time and Derek reached for the doors. Sam stood next to him.

"This will work…"

She took a gadget out of her pocket that she slid between the doors and with one flick of her wrists they opened, exposing more concrete wall save for a two feet wedge of opening and carpeting awaiting them.

Derek turned to Alexis.

"You first…."

* * *

><p>Ava turned the corner and bumped in the short man with the jet black hair and the surly mood from earlier. She knew it was Sonny Corinthoes, who'd once been an errand boy for the renowned mobster, Frank Smith but now with Smith's demise, he was trying to carve out a piece of territory for his own organization.<p>

She sniffed.

Good luck with that. Nothing about the man impressed her now at all. He saw the low rent mobster molls and groupies that clung to him and other two-hit mobsters like him. Even Helena had turned her nose at him, once rumored to have offered him a job as her chauffeur.

Sonny looked up at her.

"Where you going in a hurry?"

She glared at him, not giving him any inch. She knew he was the type who believed women were to be seen and not heard. They were to breed, keep his house or serve his pleasure. The ones that he didn't lure into his sordid trafficking operations. Strip clubs. Private parties.

"None of your business. This hotel is in total chaos and darkness and I'm going to meet up with some friends and find a more civilized establishment."

He chuckled.

"This is the most civilized place. It's a five star hotel. This power outage…it's not limited to this building and the streets…they can get very dangerous very quickly…not the place for a woman."

She sneered.

"I can take care of myself. Once I find my friends I'll be gone…"

He shook his head.

"Only if you have friends who own a helicopter to pick you up off the roof. Otherwise you're stuck here."

She pursed her lips.

"I'll see about that…"

She looked over to see a blonde woman, with her hair messed up along with some scratches on her face. The other woman poked Sonny on the upper arm.

"Where were you? I've been trying to find you and you're here shopping around for another bimbo."

Ava narrowed her eyes.

"I don't know who you are but watch what you call me or you'll be missing more than a few extensions."

Sonny closed his eyes briefly and sighed.

"Carly…I told you not to wander around the hotel. It's not safe. Now go find Max…"

She pouted.

"He's off calling for reinforcements," she said, "but no one's answering his calls. I thought you had people at your disposal when you needed them."

Sonny ran his hand through his hair in exasperation.

"I do but most of them are handling the shipment to Brazil…there's an…establishment there that is interested in hiring some of our…surplus women hostesses."

Carly rolled her eyes.

"Hostesses seriously? Why are we still playing this game Sonny? You know you can trust me with your business…I can be your number #2."

He shook his head vehemently.

"No Carly…I have all the staff I need. You just run along and go find Max…and stay away from Brenda."

She gritted her teeth and gave Ava a scathing look but walked down the hallway towards a stairwell. Ava shook her head, curling her lip.

"Really…you have your moll well trained. I should be impressed but I'm bored and more interested in finding my friends…"

She started walking away but he grabbed her arm suddenly. She turned and hissed at him.

"Let me go…or I'll…"

He smiled, flashing some of the dimples he'd flashed on the cover of _Coffee Cornucopia Weekly_.

"Not yet…there's something we need to discuss first…"

* * *

><p>Sam looked at the two people in front of her only looking slightly the worse for wear. She thought the retrieval operation had gone quite well but now that it was done, she had places to go and one man to find. She rubbed her hands together.<p>

"So are you two going to be okay? Because I've got to go find…"

Alexis frowned.

"Jason…you know you should really stay away from him. He hangs out with some unsavory characters."

Sam flashed a look of annoyance.

"Really Alexis, you're one to talk. You work legal for Sonny, who while he's got you helping him out with Zander and some contracts on the side for his shipping firm…we both know what he really deals in…or you should after what happened downstairs."

Alexis shook her head.

"A misunderstanding. Really…I know Sonny has his fingers in some…questionable enterprises but I steer clear of all that."

Sam smirked, folding her arms.

"So you tell yourself…while those women downstairs at that party will probably be on their way to PC Harbor boarding a ship at Pier 54 to head to some new digs in South America…"

Derek frowned at her.

"You mean Sonny's selling those women downstairs to brothels?"

Sam glanced at Alexis.

"They won't be waitressing at some franchise linked to Sonny's Pizzeria…"

Derek sighed.

"That's awful…."

Alexis rolled her eyes.

"I'm sure there's more innuendo and fact involved here….and like I said, I steer clear of any part of his business that's not strictly legit."

Sam threw up her arms.

"Whatever…anyway this has been fun but I've got to go find Jason…I'm sure he's out trying to find a way to keep us safe."

Alexis folded her arms.

"Really…that's ironic considering that he's a former medical student born of a prominent family who instead is seeking work as muscle for hire."

Sam shrugged.

"Guy's got to make a living…and I'm starting to…see a different side of him."

She looked at Derek.

"You'll keep an eye on her until Jax finds her?"

Derek looked at the earnest young woman with the long dark hair and fiery eyes in front of him. He knew well enough to nod.

"I will…you look after yourself until you find…who you're looking for…okay?"

She nodded quickly then took off down the hallway like a woman on a mission. Both Derek and Alexis watched her go. Alexis shook her head.

"Damn she's determined…but then she had a really hard life…Jax told me a bit about her…"

Derek smiled.

"It looks like she's a woman who can handle herself…just like you…come on, do you have any idea where this Jax might be?"

She sighed.

"No….maybe downstairs…"

He rubbed the back of his neck.

"It might be easier if you stay in one place…let's go up to my suite and see if we can find some way to get in touch with him…hopefully the phones aren't down too…"

She looked at him a long moment, indecisive, wanting to locate her favorite ex and assure him she was okay, she could take care of herself….but what Derek said made sense. It's advice similar to what she'd receive from her older brother…the one who hadn't tried to drown her as a child.

Stefan…

She nodded at Derek and they headed to the nearest stairwell, having had enough of elevators for the night.


	18. Chapter 18

Alexis walked with Derek down another dimly lit hallway after they walked up several flights of stairs. They climbed them carefully, holding onto the railing because there was only darkness save one light per floor that flickered. God only knew what was going on in the world outside that which formed their immediate surroundings. They could hear muffled sirens from somewhere outside obviously and many stories below them.

Fire trucks? Ambulances? Officers from the town's incompetent police force?

They'd continued walking up the stairwell until they reached the right floor and Derek opened the door which led to the hallway.

"It's quiet up here…"

Deserted actually, as they walked to his suite.

"I'm sure that's not usually the case," Alexis said, ""Everyone must have gone downstairs like we should be doing…"

Derek shook his head.

"We don't know what's going on down there or if it's all over the city," he said, "We might be better off up higher in the building."

She glanced at him.

"What kind of logic is that? What if it's a fire and it's moving up through the floors or the elevator shafts…well one of the other elevator shafts…"

His mouth curved into a smile.

"I don't see any signs of a fire do you? Smell any smoke? Any alarms going off? They are battery powered after all."

She frowned, having to admit that he had a point.

"Besides, I have one of the best suites in the hotel with a fully stocked bar and mini frig. No point in doing anything but keeping calm and waiting this crisis out until we hear otherwise."

She rubbed the back of her neck.

"I'm not the type to be laid back when the world is falling apart around me. At the very least we know most of the power's out in the building."

He nodded.

"We'll know when we get to the suite how wide spread the power outage is just by looking out of the window. There's French doors leading out to a nice balcony that boasts quite a view of the city all the way to the waterfront."

"I know…I've been here before. Ned and I…."

Her voice faltered.

"Ned and you…what?"

She shrugged.

"Never mind. So where's this suite of yours?"

They approached the foyer where there were supply elevators that led all the way down to the basement and traveled all the way to the roof where the helipad was located. The lighting was dim probably from the backup generator and like the rest of the floor, it looked deserted.

"It's up a couple floors. We just need to change stairwells…"

They headed down another dimly lit hallway. It seemed eerie that this part of the industrious five star hotel seemed so empty, devoid of activity and signs of life.

Almost as if they were the only two people left. He seemed to notice her unease and touched her arm lightly.

"I'm sure everyone else is fine. Perhaps others are simply holing up in their suites in comfort until the crisis is over."

She nodded absently.

"I hope so. I hope this isn't a mistake…"

They'd stopped in the hallway looking at each other. He reached over and gently titled her chin up to look up at him. Strangely she didn't seem to mind it or not enough to do anything though it wasn't normal that her cat like reflexes remained in check.

"It's going to be okay. I know what I'm doing. Nothing bad is going to happen…"

She gazed at him for a long moment even after he released his touch and finally nodded, exhaling.

"I believe you…I'm not sure why but I do. I'm actually a bit worried about Samantha McCall. I hope she made it downstairs safely."

He smiled.

"I'm sure she did. She seemed a woman more than capable of taking care of herself. If I didn't know better, I'd think the way she crept through the opening into the elevator very light in her feet…she's perhaps not operating on the legal side of the law."

Alexis shrugged.

"She arrived with my former husband and well, he's got an adventurous streak that I don't question…but he's a good man at heart and she worked with him for a while."

"I see…she helped get us out of a tight spot…for that I'm grateful. She left before I could thank her."

Alexis sighed.

"I'm sure she enjoyed it just for the challenge, to sharpen her skills. She…we don't see eye to eye on very much. I don't…think she even likes me."

Alexis never understood why that simple fact disturbed her so much. She denied that reality to herself most of the time.

"You seem concerned about that…"

She shook her head quickly.

"No…not at all. It doesn't matter at all why should it?"

He paused for a long moment looking at her.

"Why should it indeed? Yet…"

Alexis put one hand on her hip, suddenly impatient.

"We'd better get moving. Where's this suite of yours? I could use something out of your…stocked bar."

"Yeah me too…let's get going…"

They continued walking towards the stairwell that would take them to the upper floors where the most expensive suites temporarily housed the most elite of hotel customers.

As she walked along side Derek, Alexis couldn't stop wondering about him.

* * *

><p>Ava spun on Sonny.<p>

"What do you want from me? I have nothing to discuss with a common hoodlum like yourself."

He smiled again flashing some dimples but she was immune to his charm. After all, he looked one step removed from the gutter. Ava didn't know yet where she fit in the scheme of things in the mobster world, its pecking order but she knew it wasn't at the bottom.

Sonny looked amused. She knew some facts about his background including that he'd worked as the errand boy for Frank Smith and he'd moved up within the organization partnering with some unsavory folks.

"Why are you in Pt. Charles? I know who you are after all. You're Ava Jerome."

Ava steeled herself to stand as tall as she could on her stiletto heels.

"Yes I am. I'm also the owner of three art galleries in the City including a new one I opened up in So Ho."

Sonny shrugged.

"I couldn't give a damn about paintings. I'm into sculpture myself. I also know that you share the last name as the mobsters who claimed some turf in this town a decade ago."

She looked nonplussed, a slight frown on her face.

"What do you mean? The last name Jerome is not uncommon and I assure you none of the members of my family are mobsters."

"Were mobsters," Sonny corrected, "They're all dead now. Evan, Victor, Olivia and Julian Jerome. They're all dead and buried. They never amounted to much."

She arched a brow.

"I see… if that's true, why bring them now? Like I said, I may share the last name as some notorious criminals but that's just a coincidence."

Sonny looked doubtful.

"I hope so…because I will not tolerate any of their underlings laying claim to anything within the borders of this town. I will make sure of that."

She chuckled softly.

"Oh Mr. Corinthoes and here I thought you were just a mild mannered coffee importer…but then again there are cartels south of us who use coffee shipments to smuggle drugs…because they think narcotic dogs can't tell the difference…"

He didn't look nearly as amused now, sizing her up and down with his shifty eyes. She didn't trust him. He clearly didn't trust her. Surely there was some placed to meet in the middle of their mutual animosity.

"I am a coffee importer. I'm one of the most successful on the eastern seaboard."

She laughed a bit harder.

"Oh I'm sure…yes that's true. But it's clear that your concern about me being a Jerome…of the crime family Jeromes has more to do with perhaps your other enterprises that you don't advertise in the local newspapers?"

He frowned at her.

"I only conduct legitimate business in this town."

She tilted her face.

"You do…except when you don't right? Rest assured Mr. Corinthoes I'm not interested in stepping on your toes or challenging your hold on your territory. I'm in town to deal in paintings as the owner of several art galleries. I am already bored of this conversation and I want to find my friends…"

She started to walked away and he grabbed her. She cast him an icy look.

"Mr. Corinthoes let me go. I'm not anything like that trailer trash moll you dressed down a moment ago."

He did let her go, eying her with suspicion and something else…that made her skin crawl.

"I can see that…you can go find your friends but if I find out you're lying about your ties to any of the Jeromes I will take measures to protect my interests."

Ava wasn't impressed. She'd dealt with far worse since she'd first discovered that the family that raised her from as far as she remembered weren't her blood kin after all.

"Goodbye Mr. Corinthoes."

She walked away from him without looking back. After all there was no need to give him that satisfaction.

* * *

><p>Derek and Alexis climbed several flights of stairs in the dark before reaching another doorway. He opened it and it led to yet another hallway similarly designed and lit like the ones preceding it on their trek.<p>

"You getting tired?"

She smiled at him even though he might not see it clearly.

"No…I climb up and down these stairs every morning at the crack of dawn in my best heels just for exercise."

They walked a little further and the light grew slightly better, illuminating his face. It was a very handsome one.

"So we're safer up here?"

He nodded.

"I would think so….the suite is this way…"

He led her to another corridor, one adorned more elegantly than the others. She knew this was where the presidential suites were located. Derek Wells must live quite well on the company account.

"This is the nicest wing of the hotel," he said, "I wanted only the best even though I don't spend much time in town…"

She frowned.

"You seem to know it quite well…"

He sighed as they continued walking.

"Another time…another…I do use it several times a year…I or another one of my employees."

She nodded.

"Like that photographer who was with you at the awards banquet."

That ceremony seemed so long ago right now but she remembered seeing the other man with Derek.

"Yes…I haven't heard from him but I'm sure he's all right. Carlos has seen much worse after all."

She heard the tone of his voice shift slightly and she knew that this Carlos wasn't just a professional colleague of his…so much she didn't know about Derek.

"I'm sure he's probably downstairs like everyone else…"

Derek led them to a suite and reached into his pocket for the key which he slid into the lock. It opened.

"I guess it's still working."

He opened the door and flipped the light switch out of habit. Only one central light turned on but that did illuminate the main room of the suite enough to navigate it. Elegant sofa and chairs around an antique coffee table. Behind it, a wet bar with a counter and a refrigerator and microwave oven. Impressionist paintings adorned the walls.

Alexis took in all the splendor even though she'd seen it all before. Two bedrooms including one master one and a small office. The perfect haunt for some traveling businessman…or publisher to use while in town. Derek walked to the bar behind the counter.

"What would you like?"

He reached for two glasses.

"Scotch…I'd say on the rocks if there are any ice cubes left."

He smiled.

"I'll check…"

He did find some and prepared her drink for her while he poured bourbon for himself. So that was Derek's drink of choice. She didn't like it herself, unless…it flavored the lips of someone kissing her.

She shook that thought out of her head and reached for her glass while he sipped his own drink thoughtfully.

"So what do we do know?"

Derek walked with his glass putting it down while opening the French doors with some effort which led to the balcony.

She followed him, Scotch in hand as they walked out into the balcony looking down on the vast tapestry of city beneath them.

Only instead of buildings with twinkling lights all the way to the harbor, there was just darkness. Like a blackened sea.

"The whole city is out…"

He followed her eyes and they both saw that the only light that broke the field of darkness were what looked like bonfires that'd been lit only they were buildings. Derek shook his head.

"There's rioting. I don't think the police can handle it if it spreads like wildfire. You…we are definitely safer up here than down there in the middle of it."

She couldn't argue with that as they both saw the violence unfolding below them. They were far enough removed just to witness it but her heart sank as she saw a third building erupt in flames.

"Damn, in the morning they'll hate themselves but now…they're caught up in it."

Derek put his hand on her shoulder.

"Let's go inside. There's nothing we can do about it."

She nodded and followed him inside the suite. As they reached the sofas she turned around looking at him suddenly.

"What did you say back there…about me being safer here?"

He paused, his eyes glancing away as he sipped his bourbon.

"I meant…us. The streets down there, they aren't safe. The lobby of the hotel might not be but we are up here."

She sank on the plushness of one of the sofas, putting her drink on the table.

"Thank you…you're right. I feel safer up here…so what do we do while the civilized world falls apart below us?"

He sank on a nearby chair, adding his glass to her own.

"We do the interview that you agreed to…for my special edition on the award recipients."

She knit her brow, tossing a strand of hair behind her.

"But the rest of them…they're downstairs in the middle of it. What about them?"

He sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"I want to start with you…Come on…we're up here in one of the best suites of the hotel and there's not much to do…while we wait."

She considered it and thought as long as the questions were innocuous and didn't intrude into certain areas she'd closed off, that'd be okay. She could handle this and it'd be good publicity for her budding law firm. Maybe even Sonny himself would be impressed…and maybe it'd even help Zander.

She clasped her hands in front of her and looked back at him.

"Okay…ask away…."

He paused and sipped from his glass once again.

"So about this time you spent in New Hampshire…."


	19. Chapter 19

She blinked her eyes and looked at him. He nursed his bourbon a bit, before setting it back on the table. The look on his face, pensive and yet…lively. She didn't trust it. She didn't trust him really. But here they were holed up in one of the hotel's fanciest suites while the world fell apart around them.

The sip of her Scotch warmed her throat. His eyes watched her carefully, awaiting her answer.

She did with a question.

"Why does that period of my life interest you so much?"

He tilted his head slightly. Something akin to bemusement perhaps on his face.

"It seemed to be a pivotal era of your life," he said, "Wasn't it the first time you'd left Cassadine Island?"

She glanced down at her hands.

"Yes…that I can remember. I couldn't remember much of life before I'd arrived there. It was my world…my entire world and yet my cousins…I mean my half-brothers were free to come and go…so I knew there was a world beyond it."

"It must have been overwhelming to arrive there…and realize the world was much larger."

She paused then nodded, remembering the moment she'd stepped off of a cruiser and onto the wooden deck after several weeks at sea. Her legs shaking, as they became reacquainted to solid, unmovable land.

Exhilaration had filled her, laced with nervousness that she was on some coastline far far away from the island that had raised her. She could make a fresh start, she could meet new people including other girls her own age and perhaps even boys She could reinvent herself, become someone much, much better than some poor cast off cousin living in a household of people who resented her presence.

That fantasy of her new life lasted until the car that drove her to her new home, _Briarton Griggs Academy_.

A cluster of buildings surrounded by an iron rod gate that had a carefully guarded entrance with a kiosk occupied by two men who simply nodded at the driver of the car before allowing them inside the grounds.

Okay, Alexis had thought then, Maybe this isn't going to be as easy as I thought…

She glanced up at him and noticed that he still awaited a response from her. She rubbed her forehead.

"Yes…at first I thought I'd simply exchanged one restrictive environment for another. I knew Mikkos would be keeping close tabs on me to make sure I stayed within the boundaries, did what was expected of me."

His lips curved slightly upward.

"My father…he did the same thing when I was a teenager. He kept my older brother…the one who was more like him close by so he could learn the family business but he sent me away to school. I was lucky it wasn't a military academy."

She pursed her lips.

"How did you feel about that?"

He sipped his bourbon again, long enough for her to guess it wasn't his favorite topic of conversation. She could relate. She didn't like talking about her father either.

"I felt like he didn't want me…that I wasn't good enough. I could never be as good…or useful to him as my older brother…not that he lived long enough to inherit the family business. No, that was ultimately left to me…"

She nodded.

"So your father was a media mogul like yourself?"

He blinked his eyes suddenly remembering the script he had to follow with everyone save those outside a very narrow circle of confidantes. Colleagues mainly. Save Ava and Carlos with a six pack of beer or some shots of tequila, he didn't confide very much in those around him. Alexis looked at him as if awaiting an answer, her eyes hooked to his own as if she were interested. He had to tread cautiously.

"Yes…no…he was more into other industries. Real estate. Furniture imported from Europe…lots of antiques going back to the Spanish Inquisition era, the Renaissance…and later on electronics."

She knit her brow.

"I see…well at least your father conducted his family business on the up and up…that wasn't the case with mine or the rest of the Cassadines."

"I know…they're legendary for what they tried to do…notorious but you had nothing to do with all that. From what I learned, you work with Stefan Cassadine to help him oversee his nephew, Nikolas's interests as the Cassadine heir."

She softened.

"That is true not that he needs me but I love him so much. He's really the only family I have…since Stefan has pulled a disappearing act."

Derek was fascinated by the woman in front of him. The descendent of such a notorious criminal and mad scientist type of genius like Mikkos and yet…clearly some of the qualities he'd witnessed in her came from her mother's side of her family. She sipped her drink again.

"You know after a certain point we can't blame our fathers anymore. We got to put it in a box, confine it in its place and move on. That's the only way to live…"

He nearly picked up his bourbon again but paused.

"I know…but my father had such an impact on my life…even now years after his death. I still feel like I owe him…."

She sipped her own drink.

"I don't feel I owe my father anything at all. I'm trying my best to define my own life in spite of him. Each day I can do that I define as a success…."

* * *

><p>Helena left her suite after her meeting with that Ava Jerome…what an unpleasant creature she'd turned out to be. What she really wanted to do was find Nikolas, her grandson and the heir to the Cassadine fortune. She'd put all of her hopes in his father Stavros…she had glorious plans for him but he's turned out as mentally unstable as Mikkos had been and not too long ago, he'd fallen into a bottomless pit courtesy of Luke Spencer .<p>

The pox on their family but Helena couldn't deny that Stavros own arrogance and his murder of Chloe the insipid creature who had been close to Stefan, had brought upon his own downfall. She'd hoped for better with Nikolas and with her help…but damn if the bastard child of her own husband Mikkos hadn't been that perpetual thorn in her side.

She knew Alexis was at the hotel. She knew that her wretched step daughter of sorts had been honored in the earlier ceremony. But with all hell breaking loose in town right now, she had yet to run into her. Her hands itched to slice her throat with the Cassadine dagger like she'd done to the mistress of Mikkos that had spawned her but the opportunity hadn't arisen yet.

Ava had been all about unloading some painting by some new artist named Franco. She hadn't known that Helena had her own reasons for wanting that painting.

"Mrs. Cassadine I've been looking all over for you…"

She looked ahead in the darkened hallway outside her suite and saw a familiar face. She smiled.

"Why Mr. Sloane, that's what I'm going to call you though we haven't reached that part of the master plan yet."

He scowled.

"I don't like that name. Couldn't you have come up with anything better"

She delighted in his unease. Yes the man was definitely pleasing to her eyes and she did like her male disciples young but he was jumping too far ahead of the game. He needed some correction.

"Sloane…You are here merely to watch what plays out," she said, "I know you want to get back at Anna Devane but she's…let's just say missing in action. Until then, your role is merely to observe."

He seemed ill at ease just at the mention of his former mentor.

"I understand that but I don't know why I'm here. What did you want me to do?"

She paused taking him in. He'd be the perfect tool for her to use in her plan but that would be later…much later.

"I need you to keep tabs on one of the guests at this hotel…he checked in earlier today to cover the awards ceremony that took place earlier tonight."

"Yeah I know that…it was a very fancy event."

She willed herself to be patient with him. She still wondered where his loyalties lied but she knew it was only a matter of time before she'd have him in hand.

"Yes…indeed…the man I want you to keep an eye on is a publishing mogul named Derek Wells…though that's not his real name. I want to know what he's been doing here and who he's been crossing paths with."

Sloane furrowed his brow.

"Why? He's here to cover what will be a significant media event. Why does he matter?"

She stroked her chin.

"That doesn't matter to you. I just want you to keep an eye on him. He's actually working for me."

"Okay I can do that. That sound simple enough."

She shook her head.

"It won't be if he crosses paths with that wretched bastard child of my late husband's and you are not to speak of this or her to anyone. Your role is just to keep an eye on Mr. Wells' whereabouts."

He nodded.

"Okay if it matters that much to you I will do that."

She looked pleased.

"It does. The two of them must never meet. You are assigned with the task of ensuring that they don't'. I don't know why he's here. I think someone sent him and I don't know who."

Sloane sighed.

"I will do my best but it's chaotic here. People scrambling around in a panic because all hell broke loose in Pt. Charles."

Helena smiled then.

"I know that and I know why. Just do what I tell you to do. This Mr. Wells and…Natasha must never meet. You understand?"

Sloane nodded.

'I do and I'll do what I can to stop that from happening…"

Helena looked a bit relieved.

"Okay and I will focus on my nephew…."

* * *

><p>Alexis felt the effect of what she'd been drinking. It made her muscles relax, her body feel warm and if she weren't careful enough, she'd spill all her confidences to the man in front of her.<p>

She poured herself another drink from the bar and sipped it slowly. Derek watched her, he had eyes like a hawk and she didn't understand why. She just knew she didn't feel uncomfortable around him.

"I know fathers are tough to deal with especially when they die but I managed to survive it and so can you…"

Derek smiled at her and she knew her words reached him.

"Thanks…our backgrounds are so similar. We both were sent away from our fathers to protect us. I realize now my father loved me, he just didn't want me to be like him…and you…"

She flinched because just remembering her experiences with Mikkos who she'd believed to be a distant uncle…it just cut too deep years later.

"Your own father protected you the same way didn't he?"

Damn Derek for asking her that same question almost as a challenge. She nodded almost without thinking.

"My father didn't want his wife to kill me like she did my mother. He hid me in plain sight to protect me but Helena punished me for that choice most of my life…"

She didn't like to be reminded of her time on the Island. She'd need more liquor just to harden herself against her own memories. Derek seemed to notice.

"I'm not saying these things to hurt you Alexis. When I went to boarding school and then to Dartmouth in Hanover New Hampshire, I felt so alienated from him and yet…he'd done it all to keep me safe though I didn't know then…"

She arched her brows.

"Hanover…you were there?"

He nodded.

"I went to Dartmouth and got a degree before I wound up at NYU getting my masters in journalism and business. The first for myself. The latter to please my father…"

She paused, amazed at the coincidence.

"My high school was close to Hanover though I didn't have much opportunity to get off campus…with all the rules. My father picked my next prison well."

He smiled.

"Oh come on, you must have found a way around his restrictions and the school's. I did when I went to boarding school."

She paused for a long moment.

"Maybe I did…maybe not. It doesn't matter," she said, "My father got what he wanted in the end. He controlled my life, every little piece of it."

"He couldn't have controlled all of it. You must have found some way to circumvent his control."

She frowned at him.

"Why are you asking me these questions? Why does it matter what happened to me years ago? I didn't have any say in what I was told I had to do…what I had to be…"

He pressed.

"Oh come on Alexis…surely you have at least one memory of defying the rules he set for you to follow."

She paused even longer, wondering what it was he wanted from her. She didn't want to revisit the past after all. It was already written and couldn't be changed…certainly not by wishful thinking.

"Not one I care to share with you…can we talk about something else?"

He watched her carefully she noticed but he nodded.

"Okay but I did my research and I was very thorough so I do know the truth…"

She blinked her eyes, startled.

"About what? What is this truth you think you know?"

He paused for one moment.

"The truth about what happened with you in New Hampshire. The truth about your daughter…"


	20. Chapter 20

Alexis looked back at Julian.

"What are you talking about? What do you mean about what happened in New Hampshire?"

He still nursed his bourbon while looking at her.

"I've done my research on you like the other award recipients I'm set to interview for my series of articles…and I know about what happened."

She gulped more scotch down.

"I don't know what you're talking about Mr. Wells. What are you getting at?"

He leaned back where he was sitting.

"I found out that you were transferred out of Briarton Griggs Academy in the middle of your first term there by your guardian."'

She just stared at him.

"I don't know what you're talking about….where did you get this information?"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is your response to my question. Did you leave your residency at the boarding school to have a child?"

She shook her head.

"No….I did no such thing and how would you know otherwise?

He poured more bourbon in his glass.

"I can't tell you that…it's research but I do know that you left that rather restrictive boarding school to give birth to a daughter in the spring of 1980 somewhere in Maine…"

She didn't know how to respond to that but she didn't want to assist him in his interrogation into areas of her life that were private. She pressed her lips together.

"I'm sure if you want to believe that is true…"

He countered her.

"I know it's true. You gave birth to a daughter and a Mikkos Cassadine I presume your father put her up for adoption."

Alexis just stared at him.

"Where did you get this information?"

"Is that a confirmation or denial of my version of events."

She glared at him reaching for her drink. She needed more than Scotch right now.

"Neither…just curiosity since this seemed to consume a bit of your time to dig up information on me that might not be correct…"

"I believe it is correct and I think you know that too. Why hide it Alexis? You're not that teenaged girl anymore. You've gone on to be an Ivy League graduate with honors two times over and a well-respected attorney."

She couldn't deny that but what game did he think he was playing? Her private life…her earliest years were off limits. She'd made sure of that.

"Stop right there Mr. Wells…"

"Derek…"

She ignored him.

"Mr. Wells…you don't know what you're talking about…there's no such child. I graduated from high school with honors and moved on to Yale from there."

He nodded.

"Yeah I get that part except there's the fact that the spring semester of 1980 is unaccounted for…meaning that you weren't actually enrolled in the school during that time though you did return in the autumn…"

Damn he had it all figured out and she didn't know where he'd gotten his information. But she remembered what her uncle…hell her father really, Mikkos had told her when he'd taken her daughter away from her moments after her birth. If Alexis didn't say goodbye to her and her existence, then her daughter would never be safe from Helena and the other Cassadines…and she'd believed him.

She still believed them. After all Helena was still out there somewhere.

"You shouldn't continue with this theory of yours…that's all it is. I've never had a child…"

He shook his head.

"Yes you did…a young girl that was adopted by a couple from New York who signed papers given to them by Mikkos Cassadine…"

She sighed.

"That's quite a fantasy you've concocted Mr. Wells…"

He finished off his bourbon looking at her.

"Why do you act like you're ashamed Alexis? You're hardly the first to have a baby as a teenager born out of wedlock."

She clenched her hands together.

"You don't understand…in my family as complicated…as messed up as it is. Why are you even asking me?"

His face softened.

"I did my background on you like I did the other awardees. My people are very thorough and this is what came up on you…"

She tensed. She'd put that time of her life behind her after all for all kinds of reasons.

"What is it to you? Just because I win an award doesn't mean I owe you anything…"

He watched her carefully.

"I never said it did Alexis. I'm not asking you these questions to put you on the spot or embarrass you…"

She spat at him.

"Embarrass me, of course that's what you're doing. You're dropping all this on me to provoke me into some sort of response that will help you sell newspapers…I'm not going to help you…"

He leaned forward.

"That's not my intent. I'm a journalist at heart and by trade. I'm just trying to understand my subject better."

She narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"Your 'subject' is that all people are to you? God, why should I tell you anything? I should just leave…"

She thought about getting up and doing just that but something in his eyes stopped her. Damn him!

"Don't…Alexis. I am really not doing this for readership or sales…I'm just interested in getting to know more about you. I know about your daughter. I know you gave her up probably because you didn't want to.

She looked at him and saw the earnestness in his eyes. She reached for her glass to take a nice long sip.

"Alexis…Why don't you just answer my question?"

She clasped her hands in front of her, staring back at him.

"Okay…say I did have a child. Say I conceived her at 16 while rebelling against my upbringing…say I was left alone with being pregnant because I never saw him again…say I did have to give her away…how does that make you feel to know that?"

He paused a long moment.

"Alexis…I could only imagine it was a difficult part of your life…but you survived it to make a great success of your life in spite of it."

"You don't know anything at all Mr. Wells. Maybe I built all this success as you call it because of it…."

* * *

><p>Sam bumped into the woman with the icy blonde hair in a coif and the even more glacial expression.<p>

"Excuse me…I'm sorry I was in a hurry to find…a friend."

Ava reared up in the face of the petite woman in front of her.

"And who are you?"

Sam brushed her hair off her face, noticing the glint in the woman's eye. She folded her arms.

"I don't know you. Have we met?"

Ava shook her head slowly, her eyes beady and calculating.

"No, not that I would remember if she did. I only remember important people."

Sam shrugged.

"So you suffer from some form of dementia?"

Ava paused and then burst into laughter, placing one manicured hand over her mouth.

"Oh child…you really are funny. I'm a renowned art dealer from the City. I came here obviously at the wrong time to sell some paintings to a client."

"Well yea, given that there's some state of emergency over the city," Sam said, "You could have picked a better day…"

"I'm also here with…my brother. He's doing his job here and I'm sure keeping himself safe. He's rather good at that."

Sam arched a brow.

"Oh? You seem a bit defensive…Ms…."

The other woman smiled.

"Ava Jerome…and I'm not defensive. I'm just…concerned. I haven't seen him and he's not answering his phone at the suite."

Sam shrugged.

"I'm sure he'll turn up. It's a bit hectic here in case you haven't noticed. There have been riots in the streets after the power went out."

Ava shrank back.

"People really are so uncivilized just because of a blackout. I will remain here until I meet up with my brother and one of his associates…"

Just then she heard a familiar voice.

"Ava….god I've looked all over for you…"

She smiled at Carlos as he approached them. Sam looked at him with some skepticism but the two clearly seemed to know each other. She looked at both of them.

"Listen it's pretty rough outside. You should stay in here .Until control is restored."

Carlos shook his head.

"It's not just that. There's a major storm coming. Just off the coast. Everyone will be taking shelter when it hits."

Sam looked between the both of them.

"Oh my god…now I've really got to find him…Jason he has to know about what's going on."

Carlos tilted his head.

"I'm sure he does. Everyone here is holed up wherever they can fit. I'm sure he's with them."

Sam's eyes widened.

"No you don't understand. I have to find him and make sure he's safe."

Carlos shrugged.

"Okay senorita you got to do what you gotta do but I have to take my…colleague here somewhere safe. I got us a room."

Ava turned to face him.

"What about…Derek?"

Carlos glanced at Sam.

"I'm sure he's fine. We got to go up the stairs one floor and there's a room waiting for us to hole up for a while."

She grimaced.

"Tell me it at least has a wet bar…"

He grinned.

"Enough liquor for us to whip up some martinis for you and tequila shots for me. We should be set."

Sam looked at the both of them.

"Go someplace safe then…I got to go find him…"

They watched as she sprinted down the hallway. Ava arched a brow.

"Who's she?"

Carlos looked mystified.

"I have no idea…we'd better go…"

* * *

><p>Alexis poured herself another Scotch as Derek watched her from where he sat. Damn him for trying to get a rise out of her to get a better angle for his puff piece on her as an award recipient.<p>

"I didn't mean to offend you…no matter what you might think."

She tried to be casual and brush it off.

"I'm sure of that…my story's not much different than others. I was a naïve girl who served as a good time for an older man not knowing that I'd get pregnant…I didn't even know I was for some months. The man by then was long gone. I never saw him again…"

She saw him gaze at her pensively.

"I never expected to see him. He used me for a good time…and I used him for an escape from my life. I suppose somewhere out there is a young man who doesn't know he fathered a daughter."

Derek frowned.

"Perhaps if he knew…"

She shook her head.

"There's no way he could have known…he dropped me off afterward at the dorm and drove away. We never saw each other again…I didn't look for him and I doubt he looked for me."

"But you were pregnant…your family must have known."

She sighed.

"My father did…not long after the nurse did. I had no idea what was happening…why I felt sick all the time. You see, I didn't have anyone to tell me of such things when I was that age. My mother…I didn't know of her and by that time she was already dead."

"Kristin Bergman…"

She widened her eyes.

"You have done your homework Mr. Wells. Yes she was my mother until I turned five and then she wasn't."

He nodded.

"She died…some say natural causes but the circumstances seem suspicious..,."

She smirked.

"You think…that's because she didn't die naturally. She was murdered because of her relationship with my father and because I was born."

"What…?"

She put her hand up.

"Oh don't worry I only found out the truth myself several years ago from a…friend. I wasn't prepared even though I knew there were pieces missing in my life."

He sipped his bourbon.

"So she was murdered then…"

Alexis remembered that conversation with Luke.

"Yeah she was…and I was sent to live in my father's compound with his sons who I thought for the longest time were my cousins. Stavros…and Stefan…"

"Your half-brothers…Stefan is the one that's still living?"

She nodded.

"Stavros' own madness killed him," she said, "I'm not sure where he got that from since both of his parents are crazy."

She looked down at her hands then, not liking how this reporter sitting across from her was stirring up these events, these memories. She just looked at him. He was a very handsome man…a stranger to her but a good looking one except…

His eyes…

No, she couldn't possibly have met him before tonight. His name was foreign to her. His face, unknown.

"Look Mr. Wells…what is all this information about my background to you? Fodder for your article? Have you been doing an investigation on me?"

She wanted to know but his face was guarded, not telling her much of anything. Damn, it didn't help that he was handsome.

"Alexis…your life what it was and what you've overcomes…it's an inspiration to others out there of what they can overcome to be a success at whatever they choose…"

She grimaced.

"It's not that cut and dry and it's not that easy. I don't even know why it's of interest to you."

He paused a long moment.

"You interest me Alexis…and I'm not sure why. This isn't about causing you pain or forcing you to relive memories, it's trying to get to know, understand you better…"

She scoffed.

"Yet you don't even know why you want this…information about me. Surely you can come up with a better answer…"

He paused again.

"I…can't…."

He got up and walked towards the window as her eyes followed him. She still didn't know his angle but knew he must be working one. That meant she had to be very careful when answering his questions.

"Why?"

He was focused on looking out the window.

"Why is this so important to you…if it's not just tomorrow's headline?"

He frowned suddenly.

"I think there's a storm coming…I can't see the lights from the boats in the harbor."

She sipped her drink.

"So it might rain..."

He walked away from the window and sat back in his chair.

"Anyway…if it rains, we'll be inside this hotel…I don't think anyone here's leaving it tonight what with riots…and any big storm."

She stretched her arms.

"I'm sure the hotel can accommodate everyone inside it at least until morning…so while I'm here with you…do you have any other questions for me Mr. Wells?"

He paused, fingering his glass carefully before he spoke.

"Yes…did you ever try to find out what happened to your daughter…?"


	21. Chapter 21

Alexis just looked at him not sure what she heard.

"Excuse me?"

He looked straight at her.

"I just asked a question. Did you ever try to find your daughter? After you gave her up?"

She felt irritation flood through her.

"I didn't give her up. She was taken from me by the man who turned out to be my father. He arranged the adoption without me."

He nodded slightly.

"Okay did you ever try looking for your daughter that was taken from you?"

She leaned back taking a deep breath and exhaling it slowly. Damn him and his questions! She'd never liked reporters, back to when she'd been working as Stefan's attorney when he'd been running Cassadine Industries for Nikolas.

They'd had a public relations department to shield both her and her brother from their invasive questioning.

"Alexis did my question bother you? I don't mean to upset you or dredge up any old memories. I just am curious."

"Why is that?"

'He hesitated only slightly rubbing his chin with his thumb. The planes of his face, looked like they'd been sculpted. His eyes…something about them drew her own to them.

He smiled.

"Because I'm a reporter and that's my job to ask questions about my subjects to find out what motivates them to achieve such feats as you've done. You've been awarded a high honor for what you've done. I wondered if what happened to your child served as a catalyst.

She furrowed her brow.

"Perhaps….along with other factors. Try growing up as an outsider in a family dominated by men, powerful men, some might say they were crazy…but that's what I knew, that's all I knew. As for my child…no I never tried to find her. I decided never to attempt that."

He leaned forward again.

"Why…why did you make that decision?"

She looked down at her hands.

"Because by the time I was old enough to have enough resources, had learned how to take care of myself…she would have been a young girl growing up in the only home she ever knew, raised by the only people she remembered, parents who loved her. She'd just be confused…hurt by my intrusion in the world she knew…"

"But you're her mother…"

Alexis shook her head.

"Only by blood and because I carried her and gave birth to her. I didn't raise her. I wasn't there when she needed to be held, or comforted when she had a bad dream or was sick. I didn't see her first step or hear her first word. If it was 'mama' it was for someone else…"

The wistfulness she always tried to keep out of her voice intruded anyway so she stopped. She reached for her drink and sipped it slowly seeking solace.

"Look Mr. Wells, I'm not unfeeling. I do care about her…I do love her. Did you know that after I gave her up, I wrote letters to her. Yes I know she'd never read them but I wrote them anyway. For several years until I stopped…"

His gaze softened along with his voice.

"What made you stop?"

She shrugged slightly almost absently.

"I…I was in college then. Second year at Yale. I had been given the most rigorous academic training but I still had to focus on my studies. So much depended on my performance. My brother Stefan depended on me. So I just stopped…and moved forward with my life but I never forgot."

She sipped her drink again. She knew she could hold her liquor much better than as a teenager. It did soothe her somewhat.

"Any more questions Mr. Wells?"

He fell silent for a moment and she wondered why. She was just another interview after all wasn't she? Surely, Tracy Quartermaine, Ned Ashton or even Sonny Corinthos would provide a much more entertaining interview.

"I do…would you ever have more children."

She drew back chuckling.

"Mr. Wells, that's a personal question don't you think? I don't think I can answer it because honestly I don't know. I am not descended from the best or healthiest of bloodlines…"

"Did you ever think about it?"

She paused a moment.

"Perhaps…when I was engaged to Ned. If I had married him, producing an heir for his mother preferably a male one would be expected. Alan J. Quartermaine, Jr would still inherit the bulk of the family estate but Tracy would still want a grandchild to use as a pawn against her father."

He shook his head.

"That woman's a force of nature with all the charisma of a rattlesnake. Rumor is she poisoned her own father…"

Alexis shrugged.

"I can't answer as to if that's true or not but she can be ruthless especially when it comes to the family business. She is her father's daughter though he rues it."

"And Ned?"

She waved a hand.

"He's a playboy most of his life like AJ. But he's charming. He tried to rebel from the family business by becoming someone else…Eddie Maine. That was fun for a while but it became clear he was running away from himself and his responsibilities as a Quartermaine."

"But you didn't marry him…"

She faltered, her greatest ally, words, abandoning her suddenly. She rubbed her arms.

"No I didn't…I couldn't…and he's never forgiven me for that. Sonny said that Ned and his family obligations, hell his family would have smothered the spark out of me…maybe he's right."

"Sonny…you and he but I thought?"

She put up her hand, palm facing him.

"Stop right there. There's absolutely nothing between us. We're just…friends and we're both concerned about a young man very troubled named Zander Smith…"

Derek frowned.

"Zander Smith…he's working for Sonny isn't he?"

Alexis frowned, not happy with his choice of words.

"Not really…he's bright, he just needs to sort his life out," she said, "There's a whole world out there for him if he'd adopt better role models but anyway…Sonny and I…he's married to Carly and they're raising her son Michael together."

"That's good. He's a mobster after all…"

She chuckled, suddenly amused.

"And I'm a Cassadine, his ilk were working the fields of my ancestors as serfs, while they were planning vendettas…"

* * *

><p>Ric looked down the hallway for his beloved Liz. She'd left him once again looking for Nikolas.<p>

Yes Brenda had been his date but she'd been in a catfight with Carly and the two women were kept in their separate corners. Damn where was Liz and why did she always ditch him out of some ill placed concern for Nikolas? He'd have to do something to fix that quickly.

"Excuse me…you need to get downstairs with the others…"

He looked up at Ned who had come down the hallways in a rush.

"What are you doing here? What's going on? I'm trying to find Liz….

Ned shook his head

"I am looking for anyone who might not have gotten the news. We all need to go down a couple floors. The hotel will have suites for us to stay in until the storm passes…"

Ric frowned.

"Storm? I thought there was a blackout and some civil unrest."

Ned threw him an impatient look.

"It's not just that but a huge storm out in the Atlantic and it's heading our way. Anyone causing trouble in the streets will be seeking immediate shelter soon enough. This is an emergency situation."

Ric folded his arms.

"Really…and who gave you this news? Have you seen Liz? I've been looking all over for her."

Ned shook his head.

"Haven't seen her, haven't been looking. You need to get downstairs at once…."

They both looked up to see a flustered Sonny following an indignant Carly down the hallway.

"I wasn't interested in that woman Carly, and me and Alexis…she's just my lawyer and Brenda…"

Carly looked as if she were going to explode. She turned and waggled a finger at her husband.

"Sonny…just save it. I can't believe you. I'm the only woman for you. You should know that by now and yet that mongrel Brenda…and you spend way too much with Alexis…"

He threw his hands up.

"Carly if you'd just listen to me…."

He glanced over at Ric and Ned.

"She won't listen to reason…"

Ned cleared his throat.

'Sonny you and Carly need to evacuate down to the lower floors. There's a huge storm coming and they want everyone downstairs…at once."

Sonny looked petulant.

"Ned…you gotta understand. Carly's not the easiest of people to deal with here."

She snarled at him.

"Shut up…you were looking at Brenda and you're supposed to be with me."

Ric arched his brows.

"Brenda…she's my date. Where is she?"

Carly rolled her eyes.

"She's locked up in a suite where she can't hurt anyone. She attacked me…because Sonny of course chose me over her."

Ric shook his head.

"I turned my back one moment and she took off. Have either of you seen Liz?"

Carly threw up her hands.

"No I haven't seen that skinny bitch. Sonny are you going to stop chasing other women and focus on me? We're supposed to be man and wife and a family together right?"

Sonny's jaw tensed.

"Yeah right Carly…Ric so there's a storm coming?"

Ric shrugged.

"I guess so. So I've heard but I can't take shelter until I find Liz. She ran off after that damn fool Nikolas…why can't she just forget he exists?"

Sonny chuckled.

"She does seem to have a soft spot for him does it really bother you bro?"

Ric almost snapped but held it together.

"No…not at all. I'm just worried about her safety. She needs me you know…not him."

Sonny shrugged.

"Whatever you say…we'd better get moving. Carly calm down a moment so we can get to safety."

She nodded.

"Yeah but Brenda better not be there…"

Sonny smiled.

"I'm sure she won't. be. Let's go…"

The three of them walked down the corridor to get down to the lower floors. Carly still pouting all the way.

* * *

><p>"I know you're a Cassadine Alexis. I'm aware of your brother Stefan's reputation and his mother's ruthlessness."<p>

She frowned.

"You know Helena? That can't be good."

He smiled again, charmingly.

"We've met in passing. She seemed rather moody, focused on her grandson. Her husband was dead at that point."

"My father…Luke Spencer killed him but I can't say I blamed him. He was trying to save the world."

"Yes…I know. Luke is an interesting man…"

She interrupted.

"He's my friend. I do owe him a lot though I'm sure my father wouldn't appreciate it and I'm sure Helena wouldn't."

"She seems like she runs that family with an iron fist…"

Alexis smiled.

"She does…only what I know now, she doesn't know and I'd like to keep it that way."

He sipped his bourbon.

"Okay…I'm not on speaking terms with her. I don't really know her except by reputation."

Alexis pursed her lips.

"It's better that way…"

A loud noise interrupted them, a crackling noise and they looked at each other. Derek frowned.

"That sounds like the storm's about to hit….I think we're fine as long as we stay away from the windows."

She nodded not so sure of that.

"Okay…we're up on one of the higher floors. We'll be safe?"

He smiled, refilling his bourbon glass.

"Not only safe but comfortable. Really, we're better off if we stay here rather than leave and risk our safety. There's rioting in the streets and the storm will be too dangerous outside this hotel…"

She bit her lip.

"Okay…I believe you…I just don't like storms much…"

He sipped his drink.

"Me neither. Though I remember that when I was at Dartmouth there were some fierce storms in the Atlantic."

She frowned suddenly.

"Dartmouth, you went to Dartmouth? That's in Hanover…"

He nodded.

"I know. I got my undergrad degree there before going on to get my MBA at a New York University."

She paused for a long moment.

"Hanover is in New Hampshire…"

He seemed to watch her carefully.

"Yes it is…last time I checked. So what?""

She exhaled sharply.

"I went to Hanover a couple times…on field excursions with my school. They did let us out from the prison once in a while…"

"It's a very nice town. Lots to see and to do…"

She proceeded very carefully.

"The bar…where I met the man…the man who is my baby's father was in Hanover…"

He chuckled.

"I'm sure that's just a coincidence. There's a lot of active nightlife in that town…"

She tried to think that far back, not sure why.

"It's ironic the two of us here now having spent some time in Hanover don't you think?"

He didn't respond to that immediately.

"Derek…did I say anything wrong?"

He shook his head quickly.

"No…no you didn't Alexis…yes it's interesting but I'm sure if our paths crossed I would remember…"

She put her hand up.

"I'm not saying they did. I'm just saying that we had something in common, that's all…"

They both paused listening to the staccato of rain suddenly hitting the panes of the window including those in the French Doors. She turned to him.

"It's here already…maybe we should make preparations…"

He shook his head.

"We're fine here. Generator kicked in and plenty of food and drink for longer than a week if we needed it…which we won't. We're not outside in it…"

She took comfort in his words.

"Okay…then how shall we past the time?"

He paused a moment gazing at her intently.

"I have some more questions for you…"


	22. Chapter 22

Alexis bristled not knowing if she liked the sound of that. But what that really surprising coming from a journalist?

One who was holed up in a luxury suite with her while the forces both natural and manmade collided around them. She nursed her drink hoping the wet bar was well stashed with enough liquor to get her through her time spent trapped here.

Her brow wrinkled. Did she really mean that? Derek seemed tame enough, though she sensed she had just scratched the surface of a more volatile man underneath. He wore a mask just as she did, she recognized in his mannerisms, the inflection of his voice that costumed something darker, than the relaxation in his face and the smile on his lips

In that way, he resembled her half-brothers. The man who had sired her as well, with a much gentler woman who had paid for his obsession for her with her life. No, she couldn't dwell on a past that she barely remembered. She sensed the familiar in the near stranger in front of her and that intrigued her.

"Alexis did anything I ask bother you?"

She blinked her eyes and he was scrutinizing her again carefully. She shook her head.

"You're just doing your job to get information to write an interesting article about a rather ordinary person."

He chuckled putting his glass down.

"You ordinary? That'd hardly be a word I'd used to describe you. I came from a family not much different from the Cassadines…"

She arched her brows.

"Seriously? Did you have a father who tried to freeze the world?"

He shook his head.

"Was your father and his brothers renowned criminals? Some might call them terrorists."

He sighed.

"My father…"

She waited for him to continue but instead he cleared his throat.

"Your father…."

Derek caught himself from revealing too much. He slipped into his biography like a slightly uncomfortable shoe, one that fit a little too tightly.

"My father…he was just a ruthless businessman, trying to build an empire. He died before he could do that and I…followed in his footsteps…"

She tilted her face.

"Your father…was in entertainment media…"

"No…but I became interested when I studied communications in college…at Dartmouth and then later at…Columbia University…"

That last part wasn't quite true, but the fiction at this point blended in quite well with the facts.

She digested that.

"Was he proud of you?"

He paused, looking surprised at her question. She thought she saw a glint of the darkness she sensed was inside of him. For some reason she couldn't quite fathom she thought of her half-brother Stefan.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean…"

He put his hand up.

"No it's fine…he…died when I was in graduate school. So you represent some very interesting clients. One of them being coffee importer and alleged mobster Sonny Corinthos."

She frowned.

"I just handle…several contracts related to him leasing shipping lanes for his coffee business and some warehouse space."

He pursed his lips.

"I see…but you know the coffee business is just a cover for what really keeps him and his family rolling in more money than most of us see…"

She narrowed her eyes.

"I don't deal with that side of the business Mr. Wells and I don't ask questions…"

Derek doubted she was being entirely honest with him. There was more than a hint of defensiveness in her voice.

"Is that really true? You mentioned a…project that you and Mr. Corinthos were involved with…a young man."

She felt irritation flush her face.

"Zander Smith is not a project. He's a…troubled young man who's trying to sort his life out. He's had a very rough time growing up."

"So I've heard…I have heard that name before in my…research…"

She widened her eyes slightly.

"Why would his name come up? It's not connected with this event…Sonny isn't either. He just cares about him because I think he recognizes something about himself…when he was that age in Zander…Zander's at a crossroads. He's really good at heart, just horribly confused and more than a little scarred…"

He sighed.

"I know…His mother was younger than him when she had him…then he was supposed to be adopted but was put in the foster care system…"

Her muscles tensed suddenly.

"How do you know that? What is your interest in him? His mother's given him up. Sonny…I think that he might have eventually been adopted by a couple and raised by them. He doesn't talk about it much. When we met up with him he was working for a drug smuggler…"

Derek softened.

"You seem to really care about this young man. He's lucky to have someone trying to help him even if it's a fool's errand…"

She rolled her eyes.

"Perhaps but I don't consider it that…I don't think Sonny does either and he has that right."

He leaned forward.

"Why does it matter so much to you what happens to him?"

She considered that. She might have been offended if he hadn't seem sincere. She adjusted herself on the chaise.

"I…he's the age my daughter would be right now somewhere out in the world hopefully having a rich and fulfilling life. I can't do anything for her because I gave her up but maybe I can help him…"

Derek nodded slowly.

"That makes…sense. But what if he doesn't want your help?"

She paused momentarily.

"All I can do is try. At least I have a chance to be there for him like I…couldn't…"

He finished for her.

"Your own daughter…"

* * *

><p>Jax had been searching for Alexis but couldn't find her. She'd been his date but then when chaos erupted, she'd disappeared. He knew she could take care of herself in any situation but he still worried. He felt guilty for being distracted and losing track of her, and would make up for that if he found her.<p>

When he found her, he corrected. She had to be in this hotel somewhere. She'd never leave it and face the dangerous rioting outside not to mention the hurricane just sitting off of the harbor waiting to strike.

Port Charles once again had become a very dangerous place.

"Jax what are you doing here?"

He looked up and saw Sam walking towards him.

"I'm looking for my date…Alexis Davis what are you doing? Aren't people supposed to hole up in the rooms in the lower floors until this all passes?"

She shrugged.

"I'm not everyone…I'm trying to find Jason but I did see Alexis. She was stuck in the elevator with another man. A journalist from the City covering the awards ceremony…"

Jax frowned.

"Which one?"

Sam shrugged again.

"I don't know. His name was Derek Wells. I helped get them out of the elevator and then left them to go find Jason…"

Jax's eyes widened.

"You left her with some stranger? All hell's breaking loose in this hotel and now I can't find Alexis. What if this stranger tries to harm her?"

Sam pushed a tendril of hair off her face, looking at his concerned face.

"I don't think he's dangerous…just nosy if he's like most reporters. I'm sure Alexis can handle him. She's a lawyer. They're probably downstairs with the others by now."

Jax sighed.

"I hope so…if anything happens to her…"

"Nothing will happen. We're all much safer in here than out there."

Jax looked around him at the darkened, empty hallway.

"What is going on here Sam? There's rioting in the streets outside and now there's a hurricane coming."

"I don't know Jax. The power went out here…and out there and no one knows why. That's why I want to find Jason. He can help us figure out what's happening."

Jax shook his head as she knew he would.

"I don't trust him and neither should you. He's a dangerous man and I don't want you caught up in that."

She lifted her chin.

"I can take care of myself. You don't need to worry Jax."

He smiled, looking a bit worn.

"I do Sam. You matter to me so be careful even with him. Especially with him."

Sam appeared to consider that.

"I will. I'm always careful and I know Alexis is somewhere safe. I don't know Mr. Wells at all but he didn't seem interested in harming her. He seemed to like her."

Jax paused.

"I'm sure she's downstairs with everyone else. The upper floors seem deserted. But Sam you have to be careful yourself."

She nodded.

"I will be…I just have to find him. Jason might have the answers to help keep us all safe."

Jax winced.

"I doubt that but I know you have to do this…you care about him."

"I do but that's not why…I'll see you later."

Just like that, she tore down the hallway to the stairwell.

* * *

><p>Alexis refilled her glass. She was beginning to feel heady from all the alcohol but the suite had a fully equipped bar and the two of them were stuck there so why not? The backup generator had given the room some lighting and kept the liquor and goodies in the frig cold.<p>

But then again this was one of the priciest suites. She sipped her glass thoughtfully. Julian's comment about her daughter had put her on the defensive.

"You were saying Mr. Wells…"

He looked at her suddenly as if almost caught off-guard.

"What?"

She threw him a pointed look.

"You think that my concern with Zander has to do with me not being able to raise my daughter, the one that was taken from me."

He paused.

"Well isn't it?"

She frowned.

"Why do you care? I know you're trying to get enough information out of me to make for an interesting interview for your readers but there's nothing here. I had a daughter at 16 I gave up and years later…I got involved in the life of a young man. One has nothing to do with another…"

He paused again and something in his eyes.

"You sure about that?"

She narrowed her eyes.

"Why do you care? Why does the fact I got pregnant when I was a naïve young girl looking for adventure totally out of my element. I had a little girl and had to give her up and move on with my life…which I have…you think that everything I built in my life that makes sense that's brought me any amount of success is because of her?"

He watched her carefully. She felt her muscles tense slightly in response.

"Well…Mr. Wells…I mean Derek I asked you a question."

He paused a moment, then nodded.

"I wasn't trying to offend you Alexis but you do miss your daughter…"

She snapped back.

"Of course I do, what kind of question is that?"'

She filled her glass up with more liquid gold, to soften the memories.

"I miss her every day but what I don't understand is why are you interested in whether I miss her or not? I didn't walk away from her by choice…I had no choice…"

He digested that.

"But you're helping this young man…"

"So I am…with Sonny. Is this what this interview is about? A troubled young man?"

He shook his head.

"It's about you. I'm sorry I brought it up if it's a painful topic for you…"

She smiled slightly.

"It's not at all. Sonny…and I care very much about him. I'm just not sure why you're so interested in all of that."

He sighed.

"I think it's an interesting lead in the article…that you're trying to help a troubled young man straighten out his life…in part because of your own experiences."

She thought about that and thought it made some sense.

"Maybe but I don't dwell on the past…Derek…I focus on the here and now and work towards the future. Zander is part of that here and now…my daughter is part of someone else's present…hopefully people who care and love her."

She sipped her glass and knew she shouldn't be drinking so much. But what else was there except the world falling apart around them with the storm and the crisis which included riots in the streets outside the hotel. At that point, Derek's phone rang and when he saw the Caller ID, he excused himself to deal with the phone call.

He stood just outside the master bedroom of the suite and held the phone close to him, listening to his caller. He pursed his lips.

"I know…but I'm not sure I can go through with this…without telling her the truth…"


	23. Chapter 23

Derek clenched his jaw as he listened to the person on the other end of his call. The droll voice of a man reminding him of his obligations and responsibilities, of the bargain the two sides had drawn up.

His signature at the dotted line at the bottom of a page that couldn't be erased or undone. Not without severe penalties attached. The other side of the bargaining table had been concerned enough that he'd reconnected with a member of his family. The family that had for the most part been annihilated in some cases from within, but as it turned out there'd been another branch from the not so dead tree. He smirked at the randomness at fate and yet it had seemed deliberate, considering the timing.

"You remember the agreement you made Mr. Wells?"

He cleared his throat.

"I do…how can I forget when I am constantly reminded of what I owe, in exchange for the cost I…allegedly exacted on the good people of this country."

"Good, then you'll stick to the plan and not deviate on some path away from it?"

Derek ran a hand through his hair, glancing back at the room where Alexis awaited him.

"There are somethings in life that aren't meant to be changed...," the man said.

"I know that. I just didn't expect to run into my past…back from when I was a young man, before it all changed…"

"I trust you can separate your past life from your present reality. The first rule assigned to you was to completely cut your past ties…now the existence of yet another sister was something that couldn't be…anticipated but it's because you didn't know of her…"

Derek rolled his eyes.

"Leave Ava out of this okay? I am doing as I've been instructed. I provided intelligence through Carlos of some key members receiving awards tonight…but the city's in a state of emergency right now."

The other voice paused.

"You have been following the news haven't you? Pt. Charles at the very least is facing a massive blackout with a major storm sitting off the edge of the harbor getting ready to strike."

The other voice sighed.

"We are aware of that. You…and your staff are going to have to hole in there until you can be retrieved without creating any…complications. For now, you need to avoid any people in your past…before you became Derek Wells, media conglomerate head."

Derek felt frustration inside of him, his body tensed.

"You know that's not entirely possible. Scotty Baldwin, Lucy Coe, they're still major players in this town. Luke Spencer…though he vanishes half of each year to parts unknown…but then we can't talk about him can we?"

"No, we can't…and you need to remember that the most important thing to do now is to sit tight until this emergency passes…and that means staying away from her…and anyone else who might create problems…Understand?"

Derek knew there was no point in pressing any issue with him.

"Fine…Now I'll do what you have advised me to do and lie low…until it's time for Ava, Carlos and I to leave PC and return to NYC."

Derek clicked off his phone and walked back into the suite where Alexis sat there nursing another vodka making herself comfortable on the chaise. Sitting there, with her bare feet tucked beneath her.

"You settle another business deal or check another item off your 'to do' list?"

He looked at her, and went to sit back on the chair close to her to nurse his bourbon again.

""It was just a stringer calling in on a story back in New York. Mayor's getting ready to announce his new chief of staff."

Alexis nodded.

"That sounds like front page news…especially considering you're stuck in PC's only five star hotel in the midst of a blackout turned riot and now a hurricane waiting to come on shore…"

Derek sipped his drink.

"Yeah I think the hurricane will be front page, above the fold and the mayor's new chief of staff will be in the B section."

Alexis licked her lips. She certainly seemed comfortable enough on the chaise in his suite even as he could hear the offshore wind rattle the French doors to the roof courtyard.

"I haven't forgotten what we're talking about. I'm sorry if you were offended about my comments about…Zander Smith. I'm sure that you…and Mr. Corinthos are doing what you can do to help him."

She took a sip from the vodka as if suddenly thirsty and glanced up at him.

"I told you…I and Sonny…Mr. Corinthos and I took an interest in him…he's really got no one else though he's friends with Liz Webber…she's a nurse at GH."

Derek nodded.

"I'm sorry if you thought I overstepped my bounds. I'm sure that the both of you will be able to help him."

She knit her brow, tilting her head to look at him.

"Thank you for that. I'm trying real hard. Especially at keeping him out of Sonny's organization…He's working as an errand boy right now."

Derek shifted his position leaning forward slightly.

""And given that Sonny's got other enterprises besides his coffee importing business…"

She put up her hand.

"Hold on. I think we've established that Sonny has other…alleged activities. He has other businesses…"

He sighed.

"I know…and you very nearly got caught up in one tonight. If it hadn't been for Sam McCall…"

She narrowed her eyes.

"I am not so sure that Sonny traffics in women…I've heard talk of it but haven't seen it."

He harrumphed.

"Oh come on…You walked in on one of his…parties to introduce his latest acquisitions to prospective clientele. Last I saw you had security guards looking for a woman with a knife…"

She snorted.

"I might have overreacted…"

He shook his head.

"You didn't…"

Something in the tone of his voice caught her attention.

"That might be Mr. Wells but if so, what interest is it of yours?"

He stared at her a moment, not answering.

* * *

><p>Sam had left Jax and had taken off to find Jason. Surely he'd know how to handle this crisis that left them all stranded inside the PC Hotel. She turned the corridor and ran into a bearded man with a camera hanging from a strap around his neck.<p>

"Excuse me senorita…I didn't see you…"

Sam folded her arms staring at Carlos.

"You seemed in a hurry to go somewhere. Don't you know that they're trying to get people to stay on the upper floors and away from windows?"

He nodded.

"Because of the incoming storm. I know but I'm looking for my…boss and my staff. I work for Derek Wells Media and I'm on my own trying to find my people."

Sam frowned.

"You said Derek Wells… I saw him. In fact I rescued him from a stuck elevator along with a woman…Alexis Davis…"

Carlos frowned.

"I don't know here. Did you know where my boss…Derek went? I have to find him…it's bad enough I can't find my assistant…"

Sam pursed her lips.

"Who is this person? I might have run into them. I've been all over this hotel trying to find people."

He paused.

"Her name's Ava…Ava Jerome. She's my assistant, my muse, my guru and I've lost track of her."

Sam rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

"Well what does she look like? I don't know if I've seen any Ava's."

He smiled.

"She's tall, she's got icy blond air that she wears in a bob. Eyes that hone right onto you like a laser beam. Very stylish. You'd know her if you saw her."

Sam frowned.

"Don't know if I have. But I did see Derek and I think he's probably gone to join the others…if he's smart enough."

Carlos nodded.

"Thanks…and you're the lovely Samantha McCall. I saw in a magazine a while back…you were working on an excavation of a sunken ship in the Caribbean."

She shrugged.

"I suppose. Look I'd love to chat with you but I have to find someone. I suggest you head to the floor above this one…Go find a suite and stay away from the windows."

He shook his head.

"I at least have to find Ava first. She was trying to move a painting to a very wealthy, very powerful older woman, a patron of the arts."

Sam snickered.

"Okay then. Do what you have to do and I'll do the same. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Just like that, she left him standing in her wake as she headed to the nearest stairwell. Carlos watched her go, thinking there were things he'd wanted to tell her but he knew he had to remain silent.

* * *

><p>Ric whined to Carly as Jason tried to tell Sonny that they needed to make sure everyone took cover in suites on the upper floors.<p>

"I can't do that until I find Liz…"

Carly snickered.

"I thought your date was Brenda…you know the tramp that tried to steal my man."

Ric shrugged.

"We came here together because we couldn't come with the people we really wanted, to give each other moral support…"

Carly tossed back her hair.

"That might crush Brenda's ego…but you'll never find Liz. She's upset you know. Her boyfriend Lucky's going down for what he did to Jason…and she's getting her consolation from Nikolas Cassadine."

Ric fumed inwardly. He'd guessed as much but did Carly have to emotionally castrate him by pointing it out? Liz was his soulmate, and soon she'd realize it if she'd only give him the chance to prove his case. There was just too much outside interference going on right now.

Sonny walked up to them.

"Carly I told you, it's time to take shelter. There's rioting in the streets and there's a hurricane about to hit PC in several hours…"

Carly curled her lip.

"I know Sonny but it'll have to wait because I'm not ready and Ric here is upset because he can't find that skank Liz…"

Sonny pressed his lips together.

"Carly you can't call her that. You know how upset it'll make Jason. You need to go up to that suite I have reserved for us…and Jason…"

She folded her arms.

"You know that Sam McCall is looking for him. Why does she have to be there?"

Sonny looked harried.

"It's up to Jason who he wants to bring with him. That hurricane could wipe out the entire town. We need to be on the upper floors to have any chance at all."

She saw the concern on his face and softened.

"Okay…but Brenda will have to share a suite with Ric…I won't be staring at that whore's face for the next day or so until the storm passes."

Sonny did a slight eye roll but smiled, showing off some dimples.

"Whatever you say Carly…just go upstairs to the suite…"

Ric sighed dramatically.

"I'm not going anywhere until I find Liz. Brenda will have to wait for us to join her…"

Sonny was losing his patience.

"You need to keep Brenda safe so make sure she joins you….Lucky Spencer can find his own girlfriend and protect her…."

Sonny walked away before Ric had a chance to protest.

* * *

><p>Alexis nibbled at the brie and crackers Derek had discovered behind the wet bar in the suite.<p>

"Not bad at least we won't starve….but these storms can last several days…"

He nodded.

"There's plenty of food and drink. The hotel generator can run for weeks. It's going to be just like business as usual at a hotel. Might as well enjoy it."

Alexis spread some brie on another cracker.

"I get that…I just have a ton of work awaiting me and not to mention my date Jax…I don't even know if he's safe."

Derek leaned closer.

"He's very important to you isn't he?"

She felt taken aback at the question and tone of his voice.

"Why of course…he and I after all we were married and even though it wasn't a conventional marriage…we met a lot to each other…he's one of the few people I trust…"

Derek sipped his bourbon.

"I have had business dealings with him and his brother Jerry and they're both tough negotiators…"

She shrugged.

"That fits Jax…but he looks out for his company. I don't know his brother Jerry that well."

"I don't either…He did a job with me once. But I preferred dealing with Jax."

Alexis nodded.

"So do I. I just hope he's not worrying about me right now. I did come to the awards gala with him. I don't want him to do anything that might put him at risk…"

Derek spread some brie on his cracker. The French Doors rattled more than they had so far and both glanced at them.

The storm was approaching.

"Alexis…I'm sure he's just fine. You're perfectly safe up here in my suite and we'll ride this storm out together…"

She chuckled ruefully.

"I've ridden out most of the storms in my life alone…"

He looked over at the woman sitting so close to him and imagined the storms she'd have to weather in her difficult life. He didn't doubt her ability and strength to do just that.

"Maybe…but you're not alone now…you're with me and we'll face this one together…"

Alexis heard the conviction in his voice and knew he meant it. Even stranger, she felt herself trusting it.


	24. Chapter 24

Alexis spread some more brie on a cracker. As far as appetizers went, it wasn't her favorite but it took the edge off of her nerves. The storm raged outside and she didn't need to go out outside the French Doors to know if she'd looked she'd see rioting in the streets since Pt. Charles had gone dark earlier.

There was always unrest near the waterfront. The haves looking down at the harbor from their mansions on the hillsides. Families like the Quartermaines, who boasted a hefty share of real estate on the lake that fed the harbor.

Then there were the trendy mixed use housing that lined the streets parallel to the boat slips in the marina. Spacious lofts on top of coffee shops, restaurants and high end boutiques.

The criminal element remained on the fringes, the street gangs that were harnessed by whatever crime families were in vogue at the time. Whether the Smiths, the Wus, the Russians, the Jeromes and assorted others, there was always a fragile peace at best while business was conducted during the day but after sundown, Alexis lived behind two double dead bolts at her apartment. Jax had insisted on the second one, mostly because he'd always worried that she'd been on a hit list put together by Helena Cassadine, more recently because of her associations with Sonny.

Windows rattled as the rain pelted against them and she looked up to see that Derek had gotten up to pull another bottle of bourbon out of the mini frig. He opened it and brought it over. She reached up her glass to get refreshed, having decided not to count how many glasses of the succulent liquor she'd drunken already. She felt relaxed, a little heady but she wasn't getting drunk.

After sitting down, she watched him sip his drink. He looked completely unfazed by the fact that they were holed up in a suite during a hurricane not to mention in a building surrounded by rioters who could barge in any moment.

"Lots of angry people out there even in the middle of a hurricane. If I were younger, and more reckless I'd be out covering it."

Alexis frowned.

"You'd think they'd call it a night. When this storm blows in from shore, there won't be anyone left standing.

"Right now they're too angry and into breaking everything around them to care. The waterfront has always been a contentious area of the city, broiling with tensions."

She leaned forward.

"You sure you haven't spent much time here? You seem to know it well including its underground."

He chuckled.

"I know it by reputation. No, I haven't spent much time here. But Pt. Charles isn't much different than any other city on the eastern seaboard."

Alexis shrugged.

"I suppose. I am a city woman myself. I loved New York, and working there with my brother. Everything so fast paced, so intense….Pt. Charles is large like a city but seems so small town…like where I went to high school."

Derek looked at his glass.

"I know, I went to college in New Hampshire, in Hanover…. You'd heard of Dartmouth haven't you?"

She blinked her eyes.

"Why yes…you were in New Hampshire? I was too…but that's in my bio for this event."

He smiled, sipping his bourbon.

"It was one of the best experiences of my life. My father always wanted a son who went to an Ivy League and since Ev….my brother went straight into the family business that left me…"

"I went to Yale for both undergrad and law school but you know that. Stefan…he wanted me to go there. Great law school and since I home schooled my senior year in high school…"

That seemed to interest him and she'd noticed he had been watching her in between sips of his bourbon. While eating brie and crackers, his eyes never left her and something in them…she felt her body tense slightly. That puzzled her, she didn't see any reason to put up her guard around him suddenly. He'd been so nice and so far, had seemed concerned about keeping her safe from all the chaos around them.

"But you're here now. You're taking your talents and using them to work for Sonny Corinthoes, the man who ran a human trafficking auction right within the walls of this building."

She shrank back.

"I'm not interested in the…illicit side of his business. Only his legal holdings including his coffee importing company, a restaurant and…Zander."

Derek furrowed his brow slightly, at the mention of the young man's name. When he'd been researching Sonny and his holdings, legal and otherwise, his methodical approach included scrutinizing his employees…and that included Zander. But what he had found on the insolent young man had puzzled him. Alexis noted the look on his face.

"Why are you so interested in Sonny? Are you planning on doing some expose on him being a mobster in a town that's always been under the fist of one crime family or another?"

Derek glanced away, knowing all too well the town's history with organized crime. He had turned his back on his own history, had erased all of his former life, his identity even his face from a life that seemed so long ago. He reminded himself of the trade he'd made to get a second chance.

The man who would be sending a team into pluck himself, Ava and Carlos out of this building so they couldn't change the course of this town and the people in it. Including an odious amoral human trafficker named Sonny Corinthoes.

He had to listen to the firm instructions he had been given, the rules that couldn't be violated. He had to watch himself around the woman in front of him.

The character from his past that had rudely entered into his present.

* * *

><p>Sam wasn't suffering for any fool right now. No one could tell her where Jason had gone and she'd continued to try to herd people in the hotel to the rooms and suites on the higher floors telling them to stay put and not to go near the windows. She'd left that strange character, Carlos behind. He'd been so out of place in the hotel even during the awards dinner, not the typical photographer showing up to document an event.<p>

She'd seen him earlier with that Derek Wells, the one who'd been with Alexis in the elevator. He'd been friendly enough and certainly smooth but she hadn't quite trusted him or his intentions either. If it were anyone else but Alexis she might be concerned about anyone crossing paths with him. But if anyone were in danger, it'd be Derek after spending a couple hours with the most judgmental hypocritical woman Sam had ever meant. Not a woman she could hate as much as she wanted to do so at times. No, something always stopped her. She just didn't want to spend any time with her.

"Sam…"

She looked up and saw Jax again which annoyed her. She threw up her hands.

"What now? I told you where I'd left Alexis. She's with that reporter, Derek…Derek Wells."

Jax nodded.

"I know and I'm worried about Alexis. But if she's in this building and not outside…she's safe and the security guards had their hands full with Carly and Brenda….keeping them apart.

"Excuse me…."

They both looked up to see a svelte woman with ice blonde hair approach them. Ava Jerome, the renowned art collector who had a famous gallery located in So Ho. Her piercing eyes narrowed as she took in both of them.

"I'm still looking for my…my colleague Derek Wells. I know you've seen him Ms…Ms McCall is it?"

Sam pushed a tendril of hair behind her ear, just looking at her.

"Yes…I rescued him and a woman in an elevator. I'm sure they've sought a safer place in this hotel from the storm."

Ava rubbed her arms.

"I really need to find…Derek. You see, he has an interest in the gallery I own and I've just secured a business transaction with a very wealthy collector."

Sam folded her arms, glancing at Jax.

"I see…I don't think there's going to be much business conducted tonight…Ms. Jerome with a category 2 hurricane about to come on shore."

Ava bit her lip.

"The deal was already made. The buyer has no doubt already left the hotel."

Sam and Jax looked at each other.

"What buyer? I don't think anyone was able to leave before the blackout…"

Ava smiled.

"She looked to be a woman with means to be able to go wherever she needed to go. A very wealthy woman with prior connections to this town."

Sam frowned.

"Connections…so she lived here?"

Ava smirked.

"Years ago she visited…she has family here. A grandson who owns an estate on Spoon Island."

Jax's brow arched.

"You must mean Nikolas Cassadine. He's a young man but he's recently moved to Windermere on that island…Who was this woman?"

Ava saw the interest in his eyes and shrugged slightly, enjoying herself.

"Helena…Helena Cassadine. She was interested in acquiring an impressionist piece by a talented new artist named Franco. She got it at a bargain price in my opinion."

Sam and Jax looked at each other. Jax reacted first.

"Helena Cassadine? You mean she's here in the hotel?"

Ava pursed her lips.

"She was when I sold her my painting. I don't know about now. She didn't seem interested in sticking around."

Sam narrowed her eyes.

"Helena…Nikolas told me about her once over drinks at the Floating Rib. She's very ruthless, very determined to control her nephew's life."

Jax sighed.

"She's very dangerous. Alexis….after Luke told her about her heritage, Helena found out and threatened her."

Sam shrugged.

"I'm sure Alexis can handle herself."

Jax looked concerned.

"No. I told Luke that the moment Alexis knew she was Mikkos' secret daughter her life wouldn't ever be the same…and if Helena knew she knew…"

Ava licked her lips.

"Look if it's any consolation, she just seemed to want to take the painting and head back to wherever she came from. I don't think she's sticking around."

Jax ignored her.

"I need to find Alexis and warn her. After what Helena did to her mother…Alexis was just a child. If she finds out Alexis is here, she might try to go after her."

Ava rolled her eyes at all this drama.

"Look I will hear from her tomorrow to finalize the sale of the painting. I'm sure that's where her interests lie…"

Sam glanced at Ava and nodded.

"Jax, I don't think she's come all this way to target Alexis. Besides I'm sure she's not alone. She's with this Derek Wells character. He seems harmless enough so I'm sure she's fine…"

Ava snarled.

"I need to find him…for business reasons. So if you do run into him tell him that Ava Jerome wants him to help her follow-up on this transaction."

Jax frowned.

"Jerome…weren't they a mob family that tried to take over PC over 10 years ago?"

Ava smiled again.

"Oh that was the more…deviant side of the family tree. I assure you I'm only in town to make money on my paintings…"

Jax didn't seem so sure.

* * *

><p>Carlos listened to the static on his cell phone. The damn storm was messing with his phone service.<p>

"So you called the boss…and you're coming to send in reinforcements when…because it's getting pretty intense here between the hurricane and what's going on outside…"

Liz walked up to him, tapping him on the shoulder nearly startling him. He clicked off his phone and tucked it away.

"You need help miss?"

She shook her head.

"I…I was looking for my boyfriend. He's' a cop and he's trying to help people but he left me alone…"

Carlos smiled.

"I was left alone too. My boss is somewhere in this hotel and I can't find him. I was just trying to contact our press offices in New York but this cell signal isn't holding."

Liz sighed.

"I've never seen a storm this strong. Nikolas told me that he thinks the hotel is strong enough to withstand it but then he disappeared too."

"I'm sorry…so why are you running around? It could get dangerous. Why don't you head to one of the rooms?"

She flipped her hair back.

"I will as soon as I find him. I want to make sure he's safe before I do anything."

Carlos shook his head.

"No, you need to make sure you're safe. I'm sure this…Nikolas or whomever would want you to protect yourself…so he wouldn't have to worry."

She looked indecisive.

"I don't know. I want to make sure he's okay…"

Carlos was about to respond but looked up to see another man heading quickly towards them. Liz turned to look at the approaching man.

"Ric….what are you doing here?"

The other man looked frantic.

"I found a room where they said we could stay until the hurricane passes. You have to come with me before it's too late."

Liz twisted her face.

"I can't…not until I know Nikolas…"

He frowned.

"I thought you were looking for Lucky."

She shook her head.

"Lucky can take care of himself. I'm worried about Nikolas…"

Carlos interrupted.

"You both need to get some place safe. I plan to do that as soon as I find my boss."

Ric turned toward Liz.

"You know he's right. Now we better get a move on because we don't have much time…"

Liz hesitated and finally nodded and let Ric take her by the arm and lead her down the hallway.

Carlos watched him go, knowing that he had his own decisions to make. He didn't think his contact would get to him…them before the storm hit.

* * *

><p>Alexis glanced up at Derek, noticing he'd become lost in some train of thought. She wanted to bring him back to the present.<p>

"So why is it that you're so interested in Sonny?"

He acted so nonchalant.

"I'm not interested in…him. I'm interested in the larger story and he and his operations happen to be a part of that."

She folded her arms.

"How so? "

He hedged.

"Alexis, he's engaging in illegal activity…smuggling. Human trafficking and we don't know what else."

She frowned.

"I don't know about all that. I'm doing some…contractual law for him and he's been trying to get Zander out of a very messy situation that is definitely illegal."

"So you're going to defend him? Even after what could have happened to you at that party earlier? I hope you know what to do with that knife."

Alexis stiffened.

"I do…that's how my own mother lost her life. My father…his wife Helena Cassadine had a collection of knives kept within the family…some back several hundred years…"

Derek tilted his head.

"I've heard of her. She tried to take over the family's leadership after her husband…Mikkos was killed."

Alexis nodded.

"She has tried but my brother…Stefan has kept her in her place. She can do little damage."

Derek saw the resolve in her eyes.

"I don't know about that… She's a very formidable woman."

"I know that…I've known that since I was a little girl but Stefan has her holed up in the compound on Cassadine Island. She's not able to do very much."

Derek frowned, seeing that on her face she seemed to believe that. But something that Ava had told him slipped out. Something about a wealthy client interested in purchasing a painting from the collection of that disgusting new if somewhat unstable artist, Franco.

Alexis seemed convinced.

"I'm not worried about Helena. I've got other things to worry about like Zander. Trying to keep him out of trouble…and Sonny's been helping me with that."

"You sure about that?"

She threw him a piercing look.

"Sure about what? What are you getting at?"

He sipped from his bourbon again.

"Helena Cassadine could still be out there trying to cause trouble and…Sonny could be leading Zander into trouble."

Derek watched the expression change on her face. He remembered the instructions he'd just been given on the phone but he didn't know if he could follow them.

Not when it came to the woman in front of him, Helena or Zander….


End file.
